Rapid Hope Loss
by Dreamweaver244
Summary: New girl, plus Craig, equals love. But they both have a secret. They're a match made in heaven, but what happens when they're torn apart by her parents? Will Ash win Craig back, or will the new girl conteplate suicide? At Degrassi, anythings possible...
1. Again I go unnoticed

Author's Note: Alright. This story takes place during Season 4. Not any particular episode in season 4. Just that school year. My twist on it is that Ash and Craig never went to the record store, and they never became friends or lovers. In this story she still hates him. Passionately. As does Manny.

Quinn walked up the steps of Degrassi. It's nice, she thought to herself. She got to the top of the cement steps as someone with choppy dark hair and too much eye liner on, dropped what looked to be like a guitar case and a bundle of flyers.

She put her blonde hair behind her ears and decided to do a good deed and ask if she needed help.

"Do you need some help?"

"Um, yeah, uh, sure. Thanks."

Quinn picked up her guitar case. It was leather and it was old. Really old. Smelled like her grandmother's house.

"No problem"

"So...you new here, I haven't seen you around, ever, by the way, I'm Ashley Kerwin. What grade are you in"

"Hi. I'm Quinn. I transferred schools. I used to go to Haig, but now I'm back to regular school I'm in grade 11..." she trailed off. She didn't want to say why she had transferred. She didn't want anyone to pity her on her first day.

"Wow. That's a school for the arts right?"

"Yeah..."

"Since you're new, and everything, I can show you around, if you'd like. You can sit with me and my friends at lunch too"

"Um. Okay"

Quinn stepped in the building with Ashley by her side. Someone walked by. **Quinn couldn't take her eyes off of him.**

"Hello, Quinn...that's your name right?"

"Oh yeah"

They walked to the registration lines

Quinn got her schedule and locker number. 187. As the counselor handed her the number he walked by again. This time, she got a better look. Dark brown curly hair. It was out of control. Just the way her life had been. He had gorgeous hazel eyes, and he was tall. Oh she loved tall guys. He must have been at least 6'0". Seeing how she was about 5'5".

Ashley took her aside.

"Don't even mind him. That's Craig Manning. No feelings, no heart, no nothing. He is a monster who is out to destroy lives...and souls..." Ashley had this sad, defeated look on her face

Quinn figured they must have had a history together.

"Oh yeah. I was just memorizing my, um, locker number"

Ashley held up the flyers

"Alright. Hey. I have to go and give these to Emma Nelson. So, if you need help, just ask her". Ashley pointed to a short girl with wavy blonde hair who was screaming at her friend. That's Ashley's friend?

"HAZEL! Why do my years always start like this...?"

Quinn didn't want to bother. She found her locker and tried to open it. It didn't work

"We didn't have lockers like this at our old school..." she said to herself

"Oh really?" someone had spoken in a soothing deep voice. Quinn turned around. It was that Craig guy. Her cheeks instantly turned red.

"Um. Yeah. Actually." She tried to smile a flirty smile. Didn't work. Why do I always screw up she thought? She must have looked like she was trailer trash with that smile.

"I'm guessing you need some help" She was stunned. Why did Ashley describe him this way...?

"Yes. Thank you sooo much" she tried to smile again. It worked. Finally she thought.

He grabbed the paper from the palm of her hand. It was a crumpled up sweaty post it. Oh why did it look like that she thought? His hands were warm and soft. He must have used lotion.

"12...23...1. There ya go" He opened it. She put her dark purple backpack in. She didn't want him to leave. She tried to strike up a casual conversation.

"So. Uh. Where's your locker at?"

"Right next to yours. see. 188" He pointed towards the locker next to hers. He didn't sound cocky. Maybe this guy was genuinely nice...She thought to herself...

Am I being too stand off-ish? What does he think of me? Oh god. What if he asks me out? I'm too fat! Not enough make up! Do my clothes look alright? Oh geese..."

He finished. " So...I'm guessing you're new here. And you look like you're in grade eleven..."

She cut him off. "I am..."

"Really. I'm sure we'll have some of the same classes together then. Looks as if we're in the same grade... if you aren't lying to me…"

A guy with medium length dark curly hair came running up "Craig! Craig! Does this look alright or is it too flashy?" He pointed to his outfit. A black polo shirt and washed out jeans. Looks fine she thought to herself

"Looks fine Marco"

"Hey, well, class is almost starting. Can't wait to see ya around" He touched her arm

**Oh my god. He was flirting with me.**

"Same. Thanks for the help"

"Anytime"

_What Quinn didn't realize is that Ashley had seen the whole thing. She knew Craig's old tricks. Every single one of them. She must protect the new girl from him..._

Quinn walked to home room. There were hundreds of kids navigating through out the hallways. Her schedule had read "Simpson...room 102" for home room. So she went there.

The teacher was wearing a light blue dress shirt, was sort of bald, with blonde hair around the edges and was wearing tan slacks.

Quinn took her seat. The teacher moved to the front of the class room.

**Wow. A lot of computers in here Quinn thought to herself once again**.

"Welcome back. Doesn't everyone love the fresh smell of media immersion?" the teacher had said.

"Sorry to break it to you Mr. Simpson, but this is home room" Ha. That was the blonde girl who was screaming at her friend this morning. Quinn thought this place called Degrassi, must be interesting.

"Thanks for the reminder Paige". Paige rolled her eyes as Hazel and she started chatting about their summer.

"So. Everyone, it's not summer anymore! Welcome back. Please take out your class schedules as I hand out a school copy to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be" Just as Mr. Simpson was passing out the schedules, Craig walked in with Marco by his side.

Marco started "Sorry Mr. S, bathroom emergency. One of my shoes broke. And then"

"I understand, I guess, but Craig had to go and assist you?"

"Not really, I just wanted to be late..." Craig boomed.

The class burst out in laughter. **Quinn didn't. She eyed him nervously.**

_Craig had wondered why she wasn't laughing. He was funny, witty and attractive. She'll warm up to me eventually he had thought._

"Mr. Manning, please take a seat next to um, what is your name" Mr. Simpson looked directly at Quinn.

"My name is Quinn Jacobson sir" she answered nervously.

"Welcome to Degrassi Quinn, I'm not going to bring you up here and introduce you, but everyone please say hello to Quinn"

The class boomed as if they were extremely bored "Hi Quinn"

She was instantly embarrassed.

"As I was saying, please go and take a seat next to Quinn"

**Nooo. Well, it does have an upside to this; she will get to know him better...**

"Hey again" Craig said to her.

"Hey"

"Mr. Del Rossi, please take a seat next to Ms.Michealchuk...never mind. Please take a seat next to Mr. Mason"

She looked at "Mr. Mason". He had a bad dye job, dark honey blonde...with brown roots, with outrageous curly hair. He was sort of on the chubby side. About the same height as Craig.

Paige had smiled at him. "I love you Honeybee" She said. Must be "Degrassi's cutest couple" Quinn thought.

Mr. Simpson went on and on about his toddler son had just learned how to walk, his step Daughter, and his summer. She was doodling but Craig kept gazing at her.

_He decided that he didn't care what Ashley thought. He didn't even think Manny knew about this, but if it was up to Ashley, she would. Quinn was like no other girl he had met before. Her beautiful blonde hair. Which rested at her shoulders. He gorgeous blue eyes. And her smile. Her cute little smile...He was going to get this girl. No matter what would happen._

Quinn's first classes flew by. She didn't have any with Ashley. It was finally lunch.

**Her mom had packed her a sack lunch. It was her ritual since the 1st grade. For her and Quinn's sister, Marie. She loved her mom's food. But, her mom wasn't home very much. Nor her dad. They were both Doctors at one of Toronto's many hospitals. Her dad, a neurosurgeon. Her mom, a pediatrician. Her dad was up by 5, gone by 7, home at 11. Her mom got up by 6, left at 8, and came home at 5:30 for a break. Quinn often cooked dinner for her mom and sister. Left again, then home by 11, just like her father. Quinn was closest to her mother, since she had weekends off. They had one of the nicest houses in Toronto. It was huge. Her parents often tried to spoil Quinn and Marie. Everything they wanted...but not the one thing Quinn was yearning for. Their attention**

Quinn sat next to Ashley. They ate in silence. A girl who looked like she was very much into punk rock sat down. Decked out in a plaid mini skirt, fish net stockings, too much eye liner she though, although, she did the most beautiful red hair she had ever seen.

She said "So...who are you?"

"I'm Quinn um. Jacobson. You are?"

"Ellie. Ellie Nash. Nice to meet you"

"Nice to meet you too"

Marco came and sat next to Ellie. They must have been friends.

"So. Quinn, which is your name right? I'm sorry, I don't mean to come off mean, I'm just nervous about the first day back!" He was checking out a guy.

**He must be gay she had thought to himself.**

"Yeah, Craig's been talking about you all day. He says you're pretty cool..."

Just then Craig walked by. He was going up to the lunch line. He looked surprised. So did Ashley. Craig glared at Marco.

"Oops. Well, I've gotta be going then, ciao everyone" Marco left as Craig dragged him out of the lunch room

"Craig, I didn't mean to..." he trailed off.

Just then Ashley got up. "Yeah, I got to be going then" She dumped her tray in the trash can, set it up by the lunch line and headed over to a table where a girl, with trashy clothes that were way too small for her, and had long beautiful black hair was sitting with a girl who was blonde, and had an awesome bohemian style

"That was weird" Ellie had said.

"She seems pissed"

"No kidding. So, does Ashley have it all out for Craig or something?"

"Something like that. Actually, it's a really long story. You'll find out eventually. Someone is bound to tell you…"

Ellie went on, while Quinn fiddled with her juice box straw

**Maybe she would find out. Maybe Craig and she had something in common, that no one would have ever guessed...**


	2. Give Away

Author's note: As I said in the previous chapter, Ashley still hates Craig with a passion as does Manny. This takes place in season 4. I don't own any characters, just Quinn Jacobson, Marie Jacobson, and Mr. & Mrs. Jacobson

Quinn had successfully survived her first day at Degrassi. She didn't go home with a bruised ego, but with a crush. A crush, on Craig Manning.

Quinn got to the parking lot, where she found her car. A 2000 black Mercedes Benz. It was her father's, but he gave it to Quinn for her 16th birthday

Just as she was unlocking the door, a girl, who looked to be about 15, 16, came up.

"Nice car"

"Thanks. I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but, um, who are you?" Quinn questioned her.

"I'm Manny Santos" That was the girl in the trashy clothes that she seen at lunch. Quinn was tempted to make fun of her, but didn't.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Quinn. I just transferred from Toronto academy of the arts…or Haig, as its nickname…"

"Really. So, are you into dance, cheer, gymnastics, or anything like that?"

"Nah. I play tennis. I'm really into music. But that's it"

"Alright, well, I've got to be going then. See you around"

"Yeah. See ya"

Manny walked back inside the school. She met up with someone inside.

**She thought it was quite odd, that someone like that would just go up and introduce herself. She didn't worry about it though**

Quinn got in her car just as someone came up. It was Craig.

"Hey. I don't have a pair of wheels, so can I grab a ride with you?"

"Yeah. Door's open"

"Man. I love this car. It's awesome. It's a freaking Mercedes Benz. How did you pay for all of this?"

"My dad gave it to me. For my 16th birthday. My parents, they're doctors…so…"

_Craig instantly thought of something, his father. He knew how it was to have someone as a parent in the health field. He figured they weren't home very much. He didn't want to tell her about his past. He didn't know her. Not yet._

"Yeah. So, where do you live?"

"Just keep going straight. Turn at the light. Then you'll see a neighborhood with some houses. The red one is mine". As she drove, she wondered about him and his past. He must have grew up with rich parents, she thought

"So, you know how to play guitar, you look like you're into music."

"I am. I love music. I can challenge anyone on the drums. Not so much on guitar…" she trailed off.

A nervous look appeared on Craig's face. "So, um, if you, uh, ever want to learn, I can give you a couple of lessons. I'd like to think of myself as an expert" the nervousness disappeared, a cocky look appeared.

**Was he trying to ask her out?**

She smiled. "Yeah, that would be nice" She thought of something. What if I never have a chance like this come along, ever again? He is so nice. So darling. Anything she could ever want…

Craig continued "So, if you ever, um, you know, want to come over sometime, I could show you"

Quinn was sure a confused look had spread over her face. She didn't know what to say. She thought about it for a minute, and finally came up with a response.

"How about next Saturday?" she had surprised herself. She took the moment and ran along with it.

"Next Saturday it is" see you later.

Craig got out of the car.

"Bye"

He walked up to the steps and went inside the house.

_Wow. Craig didn't know what to think. Did he like this girl? Or was just a middle school-like infatuation? He didn't know. Maybe, this time, it would actually work out. Maybe, he wouldn't screw this date up…_

_Ashley walked up the door to her house and instantly picked up the phone. She had a plan to distract Craig from Quinn. She threw her backpack on the floor. She needed to vent to the one person, no one would have thought. Manny. She couldn't believe what she was doing, but she had to. Her feelings were hurt and she was utterly depressed. She secretly wanted Craig back, but she would rather die than have anyone ever find this out._

"_Hello"_

"_Um. Hey" Manny sounded surprised_

"_Can you believe that stupid bitch?" Ashley sounded livid._

_Manny knew who she was talking about. Ashley had talked to her earlier today about the subject of Quinn Jacobson. Manny had thought she was nice, but she knew Craig and what he was going to do. She wanted to save this girl anyway she could. _

"_I know. She walks up to Degrassi like she owns the fucking place"_

_Manny had call waiting. Someone beeped in on her phone._

"_Hey, ash, well, I have a beep, so I'll call you back later, about this, er, plan of yours?"_

"_Okay. That's great. Thanks Manny. You know how it is. Bye" she hung up_

_Sadly, she did know what she was talking about. Manny wanted to befriend this girl, but she had already gotten treated as if she were a rag-doll by Craig. And she had hurt Ashley. Bad. _

_The person who had called already hung up. She was guessing it was Emma. She didn't feel like talking to her right now, so she didn't call her back. Manny was with JT now, but she always secretly, still loved Craig. She had a part of him forever. As did he._

Quinn drove to her house. It was an architectural masterpiece, some may say. Quinn didn't like it. It was huge, at least 5600 square feet. The outside paint was a rich red, with blue shutters. There were tall oak trees, with beautiful shrubbery in the front yard along with some white rose bushes. The lawn, very neatly taken care of by the Latina gardener, Alysia. She was beautiful.Quinn often accused her father of having an affair with this women. Her mother had the house custom built. And it took a long 10 years to finish. Quinn had her room downstairs. Her parent's and sister's, upstairs. She could sneak out anytime she wanted, but didn't. She didn't want to disappoint her parents even more than she had.

Quinn entered the house. It was a long day. She decided to sneak to her room for some quiet time.

This room was an escape to her. She had oldies rock posters, like The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, and The Stones all over the place. Her tennis racket was in the corner, all alone. She didn't know whether Degrassi had a team or not, but she wouldn't have bothered signing up anyway. Her bed was huge. A king size bed that she often retreated to from late nights. The wall colors were a dark purple and dark grey. The carpet, a frenzy of red, blue, orange, purple, yellow, and green colors. She had a green Macintosh Laptop, which she thought was wonderful. In junior high, she often used the instant messenger of choice, AOL. But didn't anymore. Her drum set rested in the basement.

Someone had rang the doorbell. She got off of her bed and checked out was going on.

Quinn walked through her house. She had seen the many pictures of her family at from vacation. The one time her parents did pay attention to her. They all looked so happy in Cozumel. Quinn's father actually talked to her that day. Marie didn't look too pleased when her parent's took the kids to the beach retreat on the east coast of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin. Why had they went there, she didn't know. She remembered that, or at San Francisco. That one time in Jamaica, when her parent's got high. She laughed to herself. Good times she thought.

**She ran up to her door. No one was there. Wow. This was strange. She walked away with romantic thoughts of Craig.**

The first week flew by. She had a ton of homework in Calculus and Grade 11 English. She had loved English though. Strangely, Ashley had stopped hanging out with her. Ellie seemed pretty nice, so she stuck with her for the week. She had gotten to know Craig better. They talked constantly in between classes and homeroom about everything. They had a ton in common. Their love for Death Cab, Music, Potato chips, classic rock and cars had meshed very well together.

But, they both hid a terrible secret from each other. They didn't want to ruin the high they were on.

Quinn was getting ready in her bathroom. She called Craig up earlier that day to ask when she could come over. He told her about 9 and it was about 8:45 now. She had a vintage Beatles Concert T-Shirt on, and a jean skirt that went to her knees. She planned on driving over to Craig's house, where she would probably meet his parents and siblings.

As she was straightening her hair, her sister Marie walked by.

"So, Quinn, who's the date with?"

"Craig Manning" she didn't expect her to know who he was. She was in grade 8. Quinn didn't have a very good relationship with her sister. Marie was very preppy; she had washed out blonde hair, with an Ashlee Simpson imitation cut, and was very much into Britney Spears. Marie made friends very quickly. She was already part of the cutest couple in grade 8. Her boyfriend was Ivan McKinley. An Ashton Kutcher look-alike

"Are you serious? He is such a doll. I could start drooling now. His curly hair, his blue eyes…"

"And your four year age difference. Sorry, but he's mine. Not technically, but soon enough"

"Alright, alright. So, since you're going out, you mind if Ivan comes over?"

"I don't think so. Invite some of your friends I guess, who are they now? Barbie 1, Barbie 2, or Barbie 3?"

"Shut up Quinn"

**God little sisters suck.**

Marie walked away. They used to be best friends. Quinn didn't know what happened. When she turned 10, she changed.

"Alright, it's 8:50, I'll be there at nine, hopefully, nothing bad will happen?" she said to herself

Quinn put the makeup and the straightened away. She grabbed her jacket, walked out of the door and, she grabbed her keys on the way out.

Quinn arrived at Craig's house by 9:05. She was late, but hopefully he wouldn't mind. She parked her car in the street and ran up to the steps. She rang the doorbell. The night was cool. Perfect for a midnight stroll.

Craig opened the door. He was in a red flannel shirt and under that was a vintage style shirt with car on it. He looked so attractive. No one else looked to be home.

He ran his fingers trough his hair. I want him so bad she thought.

"Let me get that for you" He opened the door and took her jacket off.

**He was a gentleman. Wow. This is a nice surprise she thought. **

"Thanks, but you know, you don't have to do that"

"No problem. It's my pleasure"

Quinn took a look around. His house was nice. There were toys around. The kind she had when she was about the age of eight or nine. It had a wonderful paint job. To the left of her was the living room with a couch and a television set.

"So, I'll take you to my garage. That's where my garage is so…"

"Alright, that's fine. There aren't cars parked in it, or anything is there?"

"No not at all"

Craig took her by the hand. A feeling came across her as he led her through his house. A feeling that sent shivers throughout her body. No boy had ever made her feel this way.

They finally ended up in the garage. There where Christmas lights lit up across the walls, a drum set, and speakers were set up. And there, on the old, ratty couch, sat his guitar.

"Wow. This looks awesome for a garage"

"Thanks. Well, I'll get my guitar and we can start"

He gracefully walked over to the couch. She was standing near the entrance of the garage and he had motioned for her to go by him.

He was standing up.

"Alright, you hold it like this" He went behind her. He was very close. He gently placed the guitar over her body while he placed guitar in her arms.

He continued "I think it would be better if we sat down" His arms were locked around her; he very slowly moved her over to the couch and sat them both down.

She was sitting on his lap, while his hand was caressing her knee.

**Oh god. He has a boner! This is sooooo embarrassing she thought to herself**

"Ok. You put your hand on the top part of the strings, which is up her and the other hand down at the bottom" He laced his hands through hers and placed them where they were supposed to go.

He placed the guitar down. He got up. Quinn was still one the couch.

**Was he doing? She almost burst out in a nervous laughter**

"Quinn, I, I, really…"

She finished for him. "Like you"

"You feel the same way?"

Something came over her, feelings of shame and guilt. "I can't be doing this. Not now. Craig, I really like you, but I just can't go through with this again. Not again. Craig, I'm so sorry". She ran out. Not looking what was behind her.

She was out on the street, not knowing where to turn. She thought about running but she was in flip-flops.

Craig ran after her. "Quinn! Wait! Please"

She looked at him. "Craig, I can't. I just can't. Not after what happened."

He looked at her and paused "What happened?"

She really wanted to tell him. But she couldn't she couldn't tell him she had been raped.

"Craig. I just, I just can't alright"

She ran. She didn't care that she was in flip-flops. She didn't know where she was going. Just anywhere but here she thought.

She didn't know this part of the neighborhood. In Junior High, she ran cross country, so she could go for at least another 10 minutes, or so she thought.

About 15, minutes into her run, she seen a swing set and decided that she would go there, just for a rest.

**Why did I do this to the guy I really like? Why? He probably thinks I'm some psychopath. Why god? Why?**

It was a nice park. Even thought it was about 10:30 at night, it still looked great. Great pine trees all over the place. A merry-go-round, another swing set, bathrooms. Must be a favorite make out spot she thought.

"Why must I do that to every guy? Especially him, especially Craig"

Quinn started crying. She started crying about everything. About Craig, about the rape and about everything. Just then he came walking up.

"You left your car at my house" he looked sympathetic.

"Fine. I'll go and get it. Whatever."

"Quinn, what's wrong?"

"Craig. I can't alright."

"Quinn, I really thought we had a connection. I've never felt this way about _anyone_"

She needed to tell him. She had to tell him. Maybe it would make them closer

"Alright I'll tell you. Please, just, don't let this change about how you feel about me"

"It won't. Nothing will change the way I feel"

She seriously thought about kicking him and running away, but didn't want to hurt him.

"Okay. When I was in grade 9, I had a boyfriend and his name was Charlie. We weren't serious or anything but he had a lot of problems. He smoked weed, he drank, and he had an anger problem. I stayed with him because I thought I could help him. He pressured me into drinking. I didn't do it, but one night, he grabbed my wrists and made me do it. He didn't make me smoke, he only did that around his friends. Soon enough, my life went down hill. Charlie went out of control. My mom found out about him from my sister. She basically told him off in front of my whole world arts class. I spent more and more time away from home. One day, we were hanging out on his couch. His parent's weren't home a lot, so basically he could do whatever he wanted and get away with it. He had his arm around me and was feeling me up. He said that he wanted to "Fuck Me" but he was drunk. I didn't want to have sex with him. He wasn't someone I really loved. I told him that I had to go home and he told me "You better stay the hell here or else". I tried getting up and running away but he caught me by my hair. He threw me down on the ground got on top of me and pinned me down. He tore off of my clothes, and my underwear. He forced me to have sex with him. Craig, I was raped okay?" Tears slowly rolled down her rosy cheeks

"Quinn, I don't know what to say. I'm, I'm sorry" He was stunned. He could only think of one thing to do. He put his arms around her and cradled her.

She started balling "Craig, I'm so, so, sorry for doing this to you"

"Don't worry about that" he cooed.

She slipped out of his arms and fell to the ground. Craig went instantly beside her.

"I just, I just don't want anyone to pity me anymore"

She laid down on the dewy grass. Craig instantly slipped beside her, hand over her stomach

_He knew how it was. To be hurt by someone so bad. He thought he should have told her about Manny. About he almost had a child. Now wasn't the time. No, it wasn't… it was the time to care for her. No had done that for him. **No one.**_

They stayed like that for the rest of the night. Holding each other. Realizing how happy they were with one another. Not a care in the world. They fell asleep, knowing they were secure. Quinn finally had someone. Someone who would care and protect her.

**As she drifted off she thought why she didn't tell him the whole story. She was mad at herself for not doing so. He is so nice and charming, he deserves to know, but what happens when he'll find out? When I tell him…**

Quinn fell asleep with a smile on her face, not aware who was watching or why. She didn't know what was in store for tomorrow…


	3. Green Eyes

Author's note: It took me about 30 minutes to write the previous chapter 3, and I thought I could do better. So, here is the new chapter 3. Again, Ash still hates Craig. The title of my story is a song by Dashboard Confessional. And "Green Eyes" is one of my favorite songs, it's by Coldplay, you all should listen to it sometime, it's beautiful. I hope this is a better chapter 3. Please R&R.

Quinn had no idea what was going on. She awoke the next morning to find Craig by her side. The sun was rising and she didn't have a clue on what she was going to do next. She basically told someone who she didn't know at all her entire life story. **Why?**

She got up started walking to Craig's. It had to be about 5:00 in the morning. The birds were chirping, and the wind was blowing through her hair. It took about a good 15 minutes to get to his house. There it was, her black Mercedes parked faithfully in the street. She didn't have a clue how she could get into her car without the keys. They were still in his house sitting on the coffee table.

She walked up his steps, figuring that he didn't lock up his house. She opened the door and walked in. She took a look around. She was feeling guilty and worthless. She tucked her hair in while she looked around. There were a few photos of his family and couple of plants around. It was un-kept. She didn't care, she just wanted to get the hell out and get her keys.

She looked on the table.**_ Finally. _**There they were.

She picked them up and got out.

Just as she got on the sidewalk, there was Craig. Running up

Why does he also come like this? At all the worst times she thought?

"Where are you going?"

"I'm a self loathing loser, Craig, alright? I don't want your pity. None of it. Just leave me alone"

"Quinn what are you talking about?"

"Nothing alright, just let me get into the car"

She walked towards her car and got in. She was getting really frustrated now.

"Craig! I don't know you alright. Just, just let me be!"

"But Quinn! Quinn, come on!" He looked hurt

_Why do I always do this? he thought.I think I'm starting to scare her off? Oh why didn't I tell her about Manny when I had the chance? Why?_

She got in and drove away. She didn't know where she was going. She looked in the rearview mirror. Craig was standing in the street, looking dazed and confused. The kids at school were talking about some place called "The Dot" so she figured she would try and find it.

She drove around numerous neighborhoods until she found it. It looked to be in an alleyway.

Must be the hangout of choice she thought

Quinn parked her car on the street. She walked out. It was cold for a September day. There were empty coffee cups blowing around all over the place. She rubbed her hands together, not realizing she was still in Craig's flannel.

She walked up to the steps and entered through the door. There was Ellie hanging out with Marco and then Paige and Hazel. They weren't very busy. She walked up to what looked like a bar. She sat on the stool. The cushions were stylish, yet comfortable.

Up came 'Mr. Mason'. Work clothes and everything.

He handed her a menu. "What can I get for you?"

She answered "Chi tea?"

"Sorry we don't have that. Aren't you the chick that's been hanging with Craig all week?"

"Yes. I'm that chick, Mr. Mason"

"Ha, Ha, Ha. By the way, I'm Spinner, you're Quinn right?"

"That I am."

"So, I don't think we have Chi Tea, but we have coffee, and if it's coffee you want, it's coffee I'll get, coming right up."

She twisted a napkin around on her finger. Spinner came back and handed her the coffee

"Thanks"

"No problem at all"

She thought he was really nice, and kind of attractive. Even though his hair was outrageous, he was extremely witty.

"Thanks for the coffee, again, but I have to go"

"Where's my tip?"

God, that was rude

"Here" Change flew all over the place as she ran out the door.

Quinn got into her car. The day was going terrible. It couldn't get any worse. Or at least she thought...

She pulled her car into the driveway of her house. Her father's car, her mother' car, an Alysia's were also sitting peacfully.

She walked in her house. Things were messy, it looked different

She heard chatter coming from the kitchen. Loud chatter. Something was up.

Her mother sounded very sad

"Quinn, we have, something, very, important to tell you, come here"

This was really strange. Both her parents home in the middle of the day. She didn't think of it as anything bad though.

She entered the kitchen. There sat her father, her mother, Marie and Alysia at their kitchen table.

The kitchen was nice. It was painted a light blue, with a pastel border. It had cottage them to it. The border was of calming waves. This was Quinn's favorite looking room besides her own.

There were suitcases packed. Were they going on vacation?

Her mom's cheeks were tear stained. Her father looked distraught. Marie was also quietlycrying.

"Quinn, come and sit down, please."

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Her father said. "Meredith, you should tell her"

"It's not my fucking problem, Gerald, it's yours". Her mom was pissed off royally, something was wrong.

"Fine then, I guess I will. Quinn, I am in love with Alysia. Your mother and I are getting a divorce. I'm so sorry Quinn, I really am, but I just couldn't stand the life I'm living anymore. You can come and see us anytime you want, I have new job, as a salesman, and house in California already bought. I'll pay for you and your sister to come out anytime you want, but I'm leaving tonight Quinn."

Her mom spoke up. "It's for the best of the family, Quinn. Your dad and I, we, just haven't loved each other for a long time okay?"

Quinn was shocked. She didn't know what to say. She finally just burst with anger and started screaming.

"The best of the family? Who are you to say what it is, you're never home, you or dad! You made me take care of Marie all alone when I was ten! Heaven forbid you pay an _ounce_ of attention to us! How could you do this dad! How!"

I need to get away, away from it all. Why are they making my life hell? What am I going to do, where am I going to go. Quinn had so many thoughts running through her head.

She didn't even bother driving her car. She didn't even want to think of her father. They never had a good relationship and she never thought much of the man. Are they going to sell the house? I don't want to move what am I going to do?

Quinn was crying now. She didn't know where to turn.

She had an idea

She walked to the park by Craig's. It looked so peaceful, so different from her house. She didn't want to talk to _anyone_; she just wanted to clear her head.

There were some woods, on the edge of the park. Something that looked like a nature trail. She decided to talk a walk.

She started the trail, and kept walking. There were broken branches along the path, what seemed to Quinn, a million pine on the side. The pokey branches kept stinging her everytime she brushed up against them. But all of a sudden she hear someone following her

**Don't look. It's probably just a squirrel.**

The curiosity was killing her. She turned around. No one was there.

She kept on walking. She heard something again. This time, she knew it wasn't a squirrel.

She decided to be bold and speak out. "If anyone is on the trail, please show your face" she tried to sound manly. It didn't work. God, I sounded like a screeching chipmunk she thought to herself.

She started running. She didn't want to have anything happen to her.

**I am so stupid. I'm in the woods at 10:00 at night, why the hell did I do this?**

She sped up. She didn't realize that there was huge tree log right underneath of her.

Bam.

She tripped over an oak tree log and twisted her ankle

"God damn, fuck this life. Fuck my ankle!"

She heard the leaves rustling. Someone was walking towards her.

She started Crying "If you're going to do something, just do it, so I can die and get it over with..."

She seen the outlined image of the person. It was Craig

"Quinn, it's me, Craig. Just listen okay?"

She sat on the ground, crunching the leaves underneath her, sitting in pain.

He started playing his guitar. She knew this melody. It was the ever so romantic song "Green Eyes" by Cold Play. He started signing.

"_Honey, you are a rock, upon which I stand, I hope you understand, The green eyes, yeah the spot light, shines upon you. And how could, anybody, deny you, I came her with a load, And it feels so much lighter now I met you, and honey, you should know, That I could never go on with out you..."_

His voice, he has an amazing voice. Oh god, I'm falling faster and faster for him…she thought to herself

He stopped. "You want me to go on?"

Her heart just about melted. "Oh yes. Please?"

He started going on again "_"Honey, you are the sea, upon which I float, and I came here to talk, I think you should know, The green eyes, you're the one that I wanted to find, and anyone who tried to deny you, must be out of their mind. Because I came here with a load, and it feels lighter since I met you, Honey you should know, That I could never go on without you, Green eyes, green eyes, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, Honey you are rock, upon which I stand"_

She was speechless. "That was amazing Craig" she started crying. Crying tears of happiness.

_He knew what to do; she was sad, mad, angry, and confused. He sat next to her and started hugging her. He didn't have to speak, the song did it for him. _

They stayed like that for a while, locked in each other's arms. Not wanting to face the reality of their own lives...


	4. Trace the scars, fir the pieces

Author's note: This chapter took me a long time to write. It's probably not all that good and I apologize. It's probably one of the longest chapters yet. Maybe the longest one I'll write.

It was dark out. The sky was filled with millions of shining stars. The moon lit up the sky. The wind was blowing soft, cool, breeze. The trees were rustling. It was a nice Sunday night. Craig's arm was now around Quinn. He was comforting her. They were both leaning back against the log that she had tripped over, talking. She had told him what happened at home, about her father, leaving them, leaving the family, leaving his life, leaving everything behind for a stupid gardener.

"Your family needs you Quinn, you need to say goodbye to him. This could be the last time you may _ever_ see him. You don't want something to happen and then regret it your whole life, believe me. I'll help you home, if you want?"

She tried rolling her ankle. Tears were falling from her eyes because of the pain. She didn't even bother trying to get up.

He went on. "I'll help. Here." He got up. "Take my hand"

She trusted him. She put one hand on the log and one hand in his arm. She needed some support to stand up. He pulled her up quick. He was pretty strong for as skinny as he was.

"Here, put your arm around my neck, and I'll be like, your human crutch." He sounded excited. He had wanted to help her out.

She did as she was told. He placed his hand around her hip. His hand was softly the outskirts of her skin, rubbing her, in soft, calming, circular motion. They started heading towards the park. He picked her up so she wouldn't have to cross the log, but then she remembered something, his guitar.

"Craig, where's your guitar?"

He turned around, Quinn, in his arms.

Luckily the log was right behind him and he didn't have to go very far to get it. He had set right next to a small tree. He placed her down from the cradle of his arms, now her arm around him, his hand around her hip.

He reached over the log to the tree, and he quickly grabbed it. He didn't want to hurt her.

"Thanks"

They walked in silence out of the woods.

"Where do you, um, where do you live?"

"Just keep going straight, I'll tell you when we get to the stop light."

"Alright"

They kept walking. She was sort of hopping on her right foot, since her left ankle was sprained. She had most of her weight placed on Craig. However, her arm was tired from hanging around his neck. He was a good six inches taller than her. She was sure they looked funny like this. He probably looked the hunchback of Notre Dame he was slumping over so bad she thought. His curly hair felt soft and nice brushing up against her face.

Quinn looked up to the sky. It had been at least midnight. It was dark and the moon had turned east. She was pretty sure her dad and Alysia were all packed and taking the red eye tonight. She wanted to say goodbye, Craig had talked her into it. She didn't know why, but he had sounded so sad when she had mentioned her father leaving. She didn't know what her mother would think if she showed up with on the doorstep with Craig, arms around her and everything. Her mother probably wouldn't like him. Meredith Jacobson always thought poorly of the boys that Quinn dated. She often went for the rocker types. Her mother thought they weren't good enough for her, not that she was home enough to ever figure out who they were and what they were like. On the weekends she was either out with the girls from work, or at home, sleeping. Her father was often at bars in his free time, or on dates, cheating on her mother, probably with Alysia.

They had finally arrived at the stop light. Craig looked down at her.

"So, where do we go from here?"

"Turn right, keep going straight."

The turned right and headed straight.

This was always a nice part of the city. It wasn't secluded but it was secure. There were bushes and trees all around the sidewalk. The houses were all built on hills and had monstrous brick steps leading up the houses. Quinn had often taken walks here, but it was always during the day. The neighborhood was twenty minutes from her house. It was voted "Safest Neighborhood" by the main Newspaper in Toronto. That's why she liked it, it was safe and secure. It was everything she wished her life could be.

Craig spoke up. "These are some pretty awesome houses"

She agreed "I know, I know, they probably cost a ton." She had to agree. It was the truth. The houses were all unique in their own way. And they were big. Huge, they were indescribable.

_Craig started thinking. She must be rich, really rich. I knew she had money when I seen her car, but this, this is awesome! I mean, I know how she feels about her dad. I mean, I was in her place…a long time ago…so many thoughts running through his head_

They kept walking. She was getting tired. There was a bench a head.

"Craig, can we sit down, just for a sec, my arm's getting really tired?"

"So is my back. Good idea"

Craig helped her get on the bench. It was a dark colored wood. The kind you see in camp grounds. The kinds that give you splinters. Craig sat facing the street, while Quinn sat facing Craig, ankle resting on his upper leg. Her back had zero support.

The street light was shining a bright light. It milked out the sky. She didn't know what the curfew in Toronto was to be out of the streets, but she was sure that she and Craig had broken it.

_If Joey knew I what I was doing, I would be in so much trouble right now. He started thinking about Quinn, what he was going to do. He had just romantically wooed her with the song, but she had just sprained her ankle. He was hoping to make a good impression with her family, but the way Quinn talked about them; he didn't know what to think. He knew her little sister would like him, seeing how he is a pretty attractive guy, and he knew that. But parents often despised him. No matter how hard he tried to impress them…_

Craig started the conversation, He looked toward her. "How's your ankle? Does it hurt less?" Both of them were still in the same clothes from the previous day before, the only exception that he had put his red and white flannel on Quinn the before, so she would stay warm. It hadn't really helped her, but it was a nice gesture, seeing how she had left her jacket at his house and hadn't bothered picking it up.

She looked into his eyes. He really did care about me, the way he was looking; he looked so concerned she thought.

"It's alright, I think, it still hurts pretty bad. My mom is probably going to look at it. If she's up…" she trailed off.

Craig took a look at it. There it was resting on his lap. Her other leg was now on the ground. He felt terrible. He gently reached down to the ground and picked up her other leg and placed it gently on his lap. Her right foot was in a flip flop, which looked to be named brand. It looked to be worn in greatly. He took it off and started rubbing her it. He did it gently since he didn't really want to hurt her.

I haven't shaved my legs in three days, and my feet are filthy. He probably thinks I'm extremely as an unhygienic, hairy beast. I don't want him to. I want him to think of me better…

"I hope my feet aren't too dirty…" She was embarrassed and was pretty sure her cheeks were turning red.

_Craig didn't want to tell her the truth. They were very dirty. His hands were grimed with dirt. He didn't care though. He was here with Quinn, enjoying this late fall night._

They were the only ones on the street for a long time, but then a car came driving by

Craig wanted to get home. He was tired from the previous night. He was mentally drained. "You ready to get home, since, we do have school and everything tomorrow…?"

She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay with Craig. But it was true, school was tomorrow and it was only her first week.

"Alright, do mind helping me up?"

He gently placed her legs on the ground. He bent down and put his arm over her. He had helped her up again.

Just as they had started walking the car drove by, again. Craig thought it was Jeff Isaacs' but he knew it couldn't be. They lived at least 25 minutes from here and Ashley was probably home, being depressed.

"_See Manny I told you. They've spent the night OUTSIDE for two days now, I seen them outside in the park."_

_This isn't Ashley. It can't be. Manny was thinking to herself. Ashley had called her earlier that day and told her they were to spy on Craig tonight. She didn't want to. She didn't want to hurt Quinn's feelings, but she had already bruised Ashley's heart last year. She was feeling guilty. Manny stared out the window. Ashley wasn't acting like herself. She was a jealous psychopath. This wasn't the girl who was laid back anymore. She didn't know Ash very well to begin with but now, she wasn't sure where the lost soul went…_

_Ashley went on. "That little bitch thinks she can get anything she wants. Well, I'll show her…I will, just wait"_

_Ashley drove home, Manny remaining in the front seat next to her…_

Craig and Quinn arrived at her house sometime after 1:00. He carried her up to her porch. It was a dark, brown cherry wood. It had an '1800's' look to it. Craig knocked on the door for her as he placed Quinn on the railing.

He didn't want to wake everyone up, but there weren't any lights on

Quinn was embarrassed. "There, um, there, probably just sleeping. They, they, have probably left. It doesn't matter, Craig, I know where the spare key is"

Quinn pushed herself off of the railing and tried standing. She was using her grandmother's porch swing for support.

It did matter. It mattered to Craig.

A light flickered inside the house. Someone came to the door. It was Marie.

"Oh. Hi, Craig, and, hi, Quinn" Marie's hair was unusually messy. She was in her night gown

"Thanks for waking me up"

**She sounds so excited to see me**

"Um. Hi, your mom home?"

"Nope. She's out and he left already. What else is new, what are you doing here?"

**Of course he left. That selfish pig only cares about himself**

Quinn interrupted Craig. "I sprained my ankle, he brought me home"

"Sprained your ankle? Yeah, Okay. I believe you"

**God, must she continue on with this sarcasm?**

Craig spoke up. "You mind if I help her in, uhhh, I don't really know your name, Quinn's little sister?"

Marie was pissed. "It's Marie, and yeah, go ahead, it's not like anyone likes the bitch anyway…"

Marie opened the door for them. There were newspapers torn through out the house. Fine china was broken. The fabulous wooden flooring now covered in her father's old clothing.

**Mom must have had a break down…she must of went out. What a great plan for revenge…**

Craig and Quinn walked through the hallways. There were pictures broken and torn. Holes in the wall.

"Wow, you have big house…"

"I guess, it usually, doesn't' look like this…"

She was terribly embarrassed. She was about to cry

They arrived at one of the doors to her room, Craig opened it for her.

"Wow. This is awesome" he looked at the tennis racket. "You play tennis, I didn't know that…"

"Actually. I don't. Not anymore…" she said trailing off

He looked around. He had seen a stack of CD's, a huge plasma T.V., a couple of posters of some classic rock bands, and a picture of her and what seemed to be her sister.

_This room is awesome…_

"Alright, well, I'm going to go then." He had to go. This wasn't the place time for him to be here.

"No, stay with me. Please. I need you Craig. I need you here, with me."

She wanted to get back at her parents. So many thoughts were running through her head. She decided it was time. She was 17, she could take care of baby now, and it was with a guy she really liked. They would have pretty babies together. Yes, this is the perfect plan, the perfect plan to get to get back at them.

_He wanted to stay. He really did. But he already screwed up with Joey enough. What would happen if they had sex? If he got her pregnant…?_

She didn't him to stay. God, I never tell anyone the real truth, I need to tell him. I need too! Quinn was getting mad at herself. So many thoughts were going through her mind.

She was now on her bed. Her ankle wasn't any better. She started patting down her comforter in circling gesture, telling Craig to come and sit down. It was a dark, dark green. It sort of had a Victorian touch to it. It was light and perfect for a muggy summer night…she always stored it away during the winter time.

_I can't resist her. _

"Craig, come here, seriously" she was getting into now. She wanted him.

She went on. "Let's just say this is my thank you present for the last few nights"

Craig, looking quite puzzled walked over and sat next to her on her bed.

"Look, Quinn, I don't feel that this is the time and place, for you know…."

What was she doing, she didn't want to this with him, not now.

"Craig, I…" She leaned over to him and started kissing her.

_He couldn't resist. He wanted her so bad. He leaned back in._

They eased into it. Soon they were making out. He had one knee, leaning on the bed, his hands, removing his flannel shirt that was now wrapped around Quinn's body…

I can't be doing this. I can't.

Craig stopped.

"Quinn, I can't do this not now, I, I've got to be getting home alright?"

He sat on the edge of her bed. He ran his fingers through his hair. A nervous look spread across his face

_He suddenly thought of three people. Manny, Ashley and Baby Maude._

"Fine, Craig, just go, okay?"

"Quinn, I'm sorry, I, just, bye"

Craig quickly bolted out the door. She scooted across her bed. She put her pillow across her face and let out a scream. She needed an outlet. An outlet for her pain. Across the table beside her bed lye a pair of scissors.

**I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to do this! **

The scissors looked so tempting for her to use. She had needed a new outlet for her pain, she wanted to do it. She wanted to get back at Craig, her parents, her sister, her life, her everything, She swore that shiny blades were talking to her. "Use us." "Use Us."

She wanted to. She couldn't stand it anymore. She rolled over and used all of her arm strength to lean up against her headboard.

She looked around to make sure no one was coming near her room. She picked them up. The twisted them around on her finger for a while, thinking if she was really going to do this. She always thought of people who cut them selves as sad and depressed

**Well, that's what I am. A loser, a loser who can't keep a guy.**

She decided that she would go through with it. She opened the blades. She cut through an imaginary piece of paper.

She wanted to end it. She wanted to end it now. She took the blade and put the pressure on her skin of her wrist. This was it. The wound now broke open and the blood was flowing freely…

**This is for you Dad.**

This was the outlet that she needed, the outlet that she wanted. She finally found a way to control the pain. The pain of her life. The pain of her problems…


	5. Fool on the hill

Author's note: I have 458 hits and only 10 reviews. I'm not going to be all like "5 more reviews or I won't update" but if you read it, just review. I want to know what your opinions of my story are. Now that I'm getting into my story a little bit more, the chapters will probably longer, and I'll probably update every 3 or 4 days. And since it's getting a little bit more edgy, I may be changing the rating. Again, the title of my story is a song by Dashboard Confessional, and chapter 1, 2, and 4 are all associated with the lyrics or titles of their songs. (I also lied when I said that the previous chapter was probably going to be the longest, believe me, I have way more coming) (By the way, I've been listening to "Rapid Hope Loss" all day; and I've been getting a lot of ideas, the lyrics of the song are quite meaningful)

The next month was like an own personal hell for Quinn. It seemed like every day something went wrong. Ever since that one Sunday, she and Craig had quit talking. She still liked him, and was terribly embarrassed about the way she had acted. She wouldn't even dare swallowing her pride and saying sorry to him. She begged Mr. Raditch for a locker switch, but he wouldn't agree. She had lied and said that ants had infested her locker. So she was stuck next to Craig for the rest of grade 11. She often tried avoiding him in the halls and at times, it often looked like he would come up and talk to her, but every time he looked at her, she walked away. Quinn didn't really hang out with anyone beside Ellie or Marco. She hadn't made any other friends. She hadn't heard from her father either. She didn't care if he had even died, but her mother had gotten a new boyfriend. A cardiologist that she worked along with her at the local hospital, Cha-ching. She stopped cutting, well, she hadn't really formed a habit, but she didn't continue on .The wound was now healed. And so was her ankle. No had found out about it, and she was thankful. It was now a distant memory. It was now mid-October, her birthday would be coming up soon, so would the first semi-formal.

She was sitting in home room one day; Craig had eventually taken a seat across the room. He gave up trying to talk to her. She was messing around on the computers when Marco came up to her; Craig sat staring at them, across the room.

**She looked back at Craig. He turned away. He must have put Marco up to something.**

"Hey" Marco, who was always very stylish, was wearing a light blue collared over shirt, with a wife beater tank underneath. His jeans were a washed out blue.

"Hi" Quinn was depressed. She wanted to have Craig back in her life so bad, that it was breaking her heart.

"So, the semi-formal is coming up this Friday, are you going with anyone?"

"No. Well…" She thought about making up how she had recently met someone and she had invited him, since Marco probably was asking for Craig and all.

"Well, that's great. Because I have a friend over there who would love to go with you" Marco pointed towards Craig. Craig was pretending to be read a 'Do it yourself' photography magazine. She could tell he was listening by the way his eyes glanced over towards them every five seconds.

"Really, that's great and all, but maybe your friend should have come and talked me a long time ago…"

How could I be mean to him? Marco's one of the sweetest guys I have ever met in my life, why am I being so stupid. She had drifted off in a world in her own thoughts.

"Well, I'm just giving you something to think about. I mean seriously, isn't he the most gorgeous thing you have ever seen?"

He did have a point. Craig was the cutest guy at Degrassi. He wasn't that skinny, just right. They way his curly hair parted to two sides in the front of his face. His constant goofy smile…Quinn could go on for days…

"You know what Marco, I have to go to the bathroom, to fix my, um, my make up" She went up to Mr. Simpson. "Bathroom pass?"

She heard Marco shouting at her. "But Quinn, your makeup looks fine!"

"All yours" he handed one over to her. She ran out of the room quickly finding that she had tripped over something in the hall.

She felt terrible for what she had just done to Marco. He didn't deserve this. He was just trying to do his friends a good thing, and she had basically ruined any chance that she would ever have with Craig Manning.

She got up, brushed herself off, and kept going. Her life, constant reminder of those things.

She went in to the washroom. Of course, there was Paige, fixing her makeup.

"Well, don't we just look so happy?"

**God she hated people like that.**

"Paige, this isn't a good day for me, alright. Please, just stop bugging me." She said in a defeated tone.

She put down her mascara. "You know, Hun, if you like Craig, just suck it up and say sorry, I mean everyone knows about you and him"

She was puzzled. Everyone knew about what? They hadn't done anything but kiss.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, that you guys had sex, in the woods over by his house, it's been _all over _school for the past month, I mean come on, it's Craig that you like, Whore of all men"

She had never had sex with him.

"We didn't have sex. He sang to me"

"Oh, right, that's what they call it now"

**God, why is my life this stupid hell?**

"Who did you hear this from?"

"Spinner, I mean, Craig is like, his best friend, and he tells him everything. Craig, he can't keep a secret Hun"

**What the hell is she talking about?**

"You know Paige, I don't really care what Craig told Spinner because I know the truth, and that's all that matters" She knew it wasn't the truth. Craig would never betray her like that. Even if they haven't talked for months.

**That explains the dirty looks that she had been getting in the hall lately**

"Whatever you say, I mean, it gets to you, all of the secrets and lies"

"Yeah, okay"

"You ever need someone to talk to; I know how it is…"

**God she had hated her. How would she _ever_** **know what my life is like?**

She didn't feel like bothering with Paige anymore she left. The halls were empty, she decided to skip the rest of the 35 minutes of homeroom and hide in the boys' washroom.

She traveled the distance down the hall to where it was. She looked around to make sure no one was coming. She didn't want anyone to see her.

She bravely walked in. No one was there. The bathrooms were dirty. There was graffiti all over the stalls. She went in the second to the first one. It was the cleanest, still some graffiti but, she didn't care. She actually enjoyed reading it. There had to be something about every girl in Degrassi. She didn't see anything about her, but she seen something about Craig.

"Manny Santos is easy. Just don't forget any condoms, right Craig?"

**What the fuck did that mean?**

Did Craig get Manny pregnant, did they have sex, and have they dated? She was thinking of so many possibilities coming from that phrase.

Someone walked. She peeked through the crack of the door. It was Craig and Marco.

**Craig looked so good. Of course, when didn't he?**

"Craig, I know she still likes you okay? How much money do you have?"

Craig had 24 dollars in his hand. What were they doing?

"I have 24, we could get her 12 for the formal, and 12 for her birthday, it's in about a week away, and I could get a card, blah, blah, blah you know, write down "Happy birthday, will you go to the formal with me, all that stuff"

Was he going to get me roses? Oh my god, I bet he is

"No, you have to put more into Craig, like, like, say your writing her a song, but just write it down for a note, okay? Does that work?"

Quinn was still peeking through crack of the door. She was about to lose her balance.

"You still have her locker number right, written down on the piece of paper?"

"Yes, Marco, for the 145 time, I do. Wait, what colored roses did you, uh, get her?"

**He was actually thinking about me!**

She suddenly remembered. Craig had never given her back that post it.

"I got her purple, just like you said 24 purple roses Craig. I already called them in this morning, so just pay me back"

Craig handed him the money

"Sounds good"

Just then the door she was leaning on screeched extremely loud.

**Oh shit!**

Craig and Marco turned around.

"Spin, that you?" Marco had thought it was Spinner.

**Thank god I am wearing dark blue corduroy pants today. Especially with these shoes, ha-ha, yes! He'll never know it's me!**

She tried sounding like him. Didn't work, every time I try and sound like a guy, I end up sounding like a screeching maniac! Why?

Marco started talking. "I don't think that's Spinner Craig, I think it's…"

He couldn't have thought it was me, I didn't sound like myself. Oh no…

"That grade 10, Chris Sharpe"

"Oh, right" Craig sighed. "I don't know who that is" He breathed out a sigh

**He couldn't have thought that was me? Could he?**

_He didn't know who could have been in the stall. For a moment, he thought it was Quinn. It wasn't though. It couldn't be. He wanted her back so bad. He couldn't stand being away from her. They had shared something so special, that night. He was going to get her back any way he could…**ANY** way. He didn't understand why she had ignored him this long. He didn't know what to do that night. Of course he had wanted to stay, but he didn't want to hurt her. Not again…He knew he had to tell her about Manny and Ashley. He had to. The guilt was eating away inside of him_

"Hello, Craig, Earth to Craig?"

"Oh right, Grade 10"

"Right, let's get back to homeroom"

"Good Idea"

And there they went, out of the bathroom

Quinn just about had a panic attack. A guy was actually getting her flowers. This was surprising

**No guy had _ever_** **cared for her like this. **

She seriously thought about staying in the bathroom, but she was too happy. This was the happiest she had been in months. She felt a sudden rush go through her. It was like no other feeling she had felt before. She walked out, not caring that JT Yorke had just entered behind her and was staring at her opened eyes. She was feeling like she had a junior high crush. The feeling of excitement, the feeling of warmth…

Quinn had made her way towards homeroom. She came back a good ten minutes after Craig and Marco had left so they wouldn't be suspicious. She opened the door. Everyone in the class turned and looked her way. She could feel her face getting warm.

"Welcome back Ms. Jacobson, where's the pass?"

I haven't forgotten it, have I? She reached into her back pocket. There it was.

"Here, Mr. Simpson"

She handed him the pass and sat back down at her computer, and logged back into her computer. Just then a tiny blue message box popped up on the screen. She opened it.

"Meet me in the foyer at lunch"

It was from Craig. She knew it was, because it was the same screen name that Craig had used, when they were jokingly messaging each other earlier in September. She decided to e-mail him back.

She started typing. "Alright, I will, just don't make me wait, okay…I just, I just don't want to wait for you any longer"

She waited for five minutes. Craig looked up from his screen to look at Quinn. She caught him looking at her. She was 99.9 positive that Marco was coaching him through this.

Another message came up. She opened it "Don't worry, you won't. I promise"

She didn't bother typing back. She wanted to play hard to get, she really did, but there was something fighting against her. She wanted Craig back into her life, and this was the chance.

Most of her classes felt like 5 hours at a time. She was impatiently waiting for lunch to arrive to she could see Craig. Suddenly, like a ton of bricks, it was time.

She started for the foyer. Her steps getting slower, her muscle's were going into spasms. She felt as if there were a flock of live insects flying around in her stomach. She kept on walking until she seen Craig. She suddenly froze. She didn't know why. He was just standing there, with two dozen purple roses for her. She got up her strength and kept moving on. Her hair was now up in a ponytail, but she tucked the few pieces hanging down around her face behind her ears. There was no one around but her and Craig, everyone was in the cafeteria. She was now ten feet away from him. Emotion took over. She started running towards him. She couldn't take it anymore. She missed him so much. She placed her arms around his neck and started hugging him, her head resting peacefully on his shoulders. The roses were now on the ground, his arms wrapped around her.

Craig whispered in her ear. "I missed you so much"

His head was now resting on top of hers, lightly. He felt so warm, their bodies pressed against each other. His, dark, curly hair pressed against her cheek.

**She didn't want to say that she knew about this. She didn't want to ruin the moment.** Craig was now back. They were back into each other's lives, once again.

She spoke up and swallowed her pride. "I'm so sorry about that night Craig; I didn't mean to make you do something you didn't want to do…"

_He would never tell her that he had wanted her that night. He really had, but it just wasn't the time. He was happy now. She was back. That's all he had wanted for the past month. 5 songs, written and 3 melodies made up. That's more than he had ever made up…music wise…_

Craig let go of her. His hands now peacefully on her arms

His voice was so soothing. "Will you go to the formal with me?"

**YES CRAIG MANNING! I WILL!**

"Yes" Why don't I ever sound like I want to do something? He looks so cute standing there, with a rose, and here I am, in a black sweatshirt, and a pair of shorts and flip flops, which definitely isn't appropriate for an October day, why do I like this?…she went on thinking.

Everything seems like a fairytale, he didn't know what to do, or how to act. Marco had just told him to do all of this.

Craig picked up the roses and held them up.

"These are for you, um, Happy Birthday?"

It wasn't her birthday until next week, but it was a nice gesture.

"Thank you Craig, this is, just, so awesome…words can't even explain…"

"They don't have to"

**Yes they can, they can explain! I am in love with Craig Manning!**

There wasn't a card…no card at all…

_I have an idea! We could ditch school! Yes! We don't need to be here, we can go somewhere else, to be alone…Or maybe we shouldn't, we would get caught…so many thoughts…He decided to ask her, to see what she thought…_

"I have an idea, you wanna go someplace else, to just, chill?"

Chill? What does he mean? She tried to smile

"You know, just, hang out, somewhere, other than school?"

He's not asking you for sex you know, you can ditch school, you haven't for a long time, you can do this, Quinn thought. She looked out the window. It was beautiful out. The sun was shining. The leaves on the trees were falling. They were a mix of colors, like orange, green and brown. The janitor was raking them outside.

"Sure, but, uh how are we going to ditch?"

Craig had his arms folded. He must have been thinking…

He was into it now, a huge smile spread across his face. "Right now, I mean, the teachers are out, we just have to steer clear of Raditch, and we should be alright."

**He must be crazy; we can't ditch school like this.**

"I know a couple of ways through some closets out of the doors, out of the school, okay, just follow me"

"Alright, but where are we going to go?"

Quinn looked at the ground. Craig's blue converses were dirty. She didn't want to get in trouble, but then again, she did want to spend some time with Craig…

"I'm not sure; we can find some place though"

**God, I hope he doesn't want to go my house! Or his house! Oh god…**

Craig took her by the hand. He led her through a series of hallways, then into a gym. There were a couple people around, but no one noticed. They just looked like they were about to sit on the bleachers and talk, that's all.

They went into one of the janitor's closets. It had a gray paint to it. There were a couple of tools lying around, and a couple of mops and buckets.

"Here" He pushed another door open. Then, it led them to a door outside, but Quinn had just thought of something.

"You know, we could have ate outside and it would have been easier…"

"True. But that just takes all of the fun out. Don't you think?"

She had to agree. This was pretty fun.

It was beautiful out. There was a slight breeze, the sun was shining.

"It's perfect out"

The trees were in full bloom and the leaves. There were a couple of piles all set up neatly, ready to be put in a bag.

Craig took her by the hand. "You know, Quinn, we could just stay, you know, back here, it's quiet, and no one would ever think of going back here"

He playfully fell backwards, into a pile of leaves, taking Quinn down.

They were both lying flat on their backs in a crunch pile of leaves.

Quinn started looking up into the sky.

"You know, Quinn, we should really get a better hang out, because winter's coming soon"

He did have a point. It did seem that whenever they were alone, they were always outside somewhere, but they hadn't been alone for a month. This was a refreshing thing.

He grabbed her hand. "I really did miss you, a lot". He laced his hand through hers. "I just, every time, I tried to go and talk to you, you just, walked away"

He didn't know the whole story. She had an ache to tell him…she just couldn't.

He started stroking her thumb gently.

He leaned over her.

**God, if I moved my head it would probably hit his.**

"Quinn, just hear me out okay? I like you…"

She leaned up towards his face. Their lips instantly met. They were soft. She playfully bit his lower lip. They soon got more passionate. If any would have seen them, they were sure to get suspended. Craig was now on top of her, while Quinn lying in leaf pile. His hands were placed gently underneath her sweatshirt, feeling their way around.

_I want her so bad._

**I can't believe it; I'm ditching school like this, and making out with Craig? What am I doing? This is too risqué.**

Craig sang to her "My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me…" His voice was a mix between a light, raspy, sensuous, feeling that always gave her butterflies.

"So won't you kill me, so I die happy…"

Quinn thought she heard something. "Craig, be quiet for a minute"

She heard someone crunching through a leave pile. Craig got up and peered over the bushes. There was Ashley, behind Degrassi. The spot that no one what of ever thought of.

"Oh shit, it's Ashley"

"Are you serious? I told you Craig, we should have left."

"Wait someone else is with him…"

Quinn's hair was all messed up. Her perfectly choppy do' that was perfectly flipped out was now full of fall foliage and was sticking straight down past her shoulders.

Quinn got to her knees. Her bra, which was successfully removed 10 minutes earlier by Craig, lye on the grass beside her.

Craig was whispering something beneath his breath.

Ashley started walking over towards the bushes.

"So Manning are you going to knock her up too, Baby Maude the second?"

Ashley came around the corner to where they were kneeling. Quinn rushed to hide her bra. She stuffed in the front pocket of her sweatshirt.

"Ashley, we weren't doing anything, just having lunch?"

"Oh, right, Craig, I bet Raditch would love to see this?"

Craig got up. "Ashley what is your problem?"

"My problem is you Craig; you are a testosterone filled, heart breaking, soul stealing, monster! You're out to ruin lives! You don't care for people Craig, no one"

Quinn looked at them from the ground. Dumfounded. She didn't have a clue what they were talking about.

Ashley looked hurt. She was wearing a camouflage maroon and brown shirt, with a pair of hip huggers. She had dark circles beneath her eyes. It looked like she hadn't had an ounce of sleep for over a week.

Craig didn't know what to say. "Ashley that isn't true"

"Oh yeah, what a line, 'I don't know if you'll forgive me…'

"Ashley, come on"

"For being so blind to how you felt…"

**What the hell?**

"Ashley stop, it's over with alright?"

_Something came to Craig's mind. The car, a month ago, that WAS Jeff Isaacs'. It WAS Ashley. She was stalking them._

"Craig, you don't know, you don't have a clue…"

_Ashley had plenty in store for them. She had seen them, in the hall, the roses, the ditching, the make out scene, everything. She was going to get Quinn back. She stole the love of her life. She was going to pay…_

She stormed off. They didn't know if she was going to tell Raditch or what, but they stayed there for the moment.

"Craig, what was the all about, forgiving, or what ever she was saying?"

"Quinn, it's nothing. It was just something last year okay?"

_I need to tell her! I have to tell her! But I can't! Everything was going so perfect, and then prude has to come up and ruin it! Fuck._

"What happened last year?"

"It was a battle of the bands, we played, we meaning Downtown Sasquatch, and I wrote a song"

_He didn't want to say what it had really meant. Basically he wanted Ashley back then. But not now, times have changed. Things were different. He only wanted Quinn._

"Is that all that happened?"

He looked frustrated. "Yes. That's all that happened, I swear"

She didn't believe him. He knew there was more to the story than he was telling her. She didn't feel like demanding it out of him now.

She tried to change the subject. "So, the formal, it's this Friday right? If it is, I'll go dress shopping soon"

He hadn't asked her to formal. Maybe she just assumed they were going. That's what he was doing.

"Yeah it's this Friday. Joey said I can borrow his car, so it's all good. And now, I know where you live now, so I can go and pick you up. It starts around 9, and Marco is going to have this awesome party afterwards at his house, so we can go to that too. You know, Party the night away"

Except, both of them didn't know what they were hiding from each other, they both had a terrible secret. A secret they had in common? Or a secret they were both terribly embarrassed about

Would this all be revealed Friday night? Who knows…


	6. The Good Fight Part 1

Author's note: Please read and review. I don't own any of the characters just Quinn and The Jacobson's. Oh yes, new character time. Graeme. This is probably the only time he'll ever be in the story, but if you have the same kind of sense of humor as I do, then you might get it. But, you would probably have to see a couple of personal Jake Epstein photos first. And St. Gregory isn't a real town, I just made it up. There is some sexual reference in here also, so this chapter is officially rated 'M'

"Does this look alright?"

"It fits fine Quinn"

**God, I hope this looks okay.**

Quinn was dress shopping with Ellie for the formal. It was a Thursday and they were in a store downtown Toronto called "Melanie's". It was a dress shop, they didn't carry name brands, so they had decided to stop and look around for that sole reason. She had found the perfect dress. It was a classic strapless gown. It was white running across her chest and the rest of it, was black.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Even though I have zero support for your relationship with Craig, this will knock him off of his feet"

Quinn always wondered why Ellie didn't like Craig. It always seemed like she always had something against him, yet, she never bothered to ask.

Quinn was gathering her hair up in the back of her head. A couple of pieces dangled around in her face, she didn't know whether she was going to wear her hair as in up-do or down.

"How much is it?"

Quinn looked at the price tag. It was six hundred and nine dollars. Her mother had given her seven hundred, so she figured she could get it, and spend the rest on shoes.

"About six hundred"

She was thankful Ellie had agreed to come with. Quinn had to beg her. Ellie didn't seem to mind. She had wanted to get of the house.

Ellie looked surprised and disappointed at the same time. Ellie didn't have very much money. Her father was in the army, and her mother, at home, drinking.

"Wow. All for a dress too"

Quinn checked herself out in the mirror. She looked at her upper arms in disgust. They were always too big, too fat, too muscular, too everything.

"I think I'm going to just go in a pair of black flip flops. That way, my feet won't hurt"

"Good idea"

She took her hands out of her hair and dropped them down at her side

"Why don't you like Craig?"

"Quinn, I've told you, I don't think I should tell you alright?"

**Why didn't she want to tell me? No one tells me anything?**

"Why not"

"Because, I'm not the right person to tell you, okay?"

"Alright, I'm sorry for asking"

Quinn went back into the dressing room and slipped out of the dress. It was small, and they pain was grey. There it lye, in a rumpled puff of black madness. She was going to get it, and then just wear flip flops, like she and Ellie had talked about. She came back out; her outfit today consisted of a plain green tee shirt and dark, washed out jeans. Her hair, down and flipped out.

She opened the door to the dressing room dress in hand.

"Are you read to leave finally?"

"Yes"

Quinn and Ellie walked up to the cashier. It was a guy, who looked to be about eighteen, his hair was in dread locks, and was wearing a Jimmy Hendrix concert t-shirt, with a blue working vest over. His nametag read, 'Graeme'.

Quinn handed him the dress. He didn't look like he was happy; she decided to ask what was wrong.

"If you don't, um, mind me asking, what's wrong?"

Ellie stared at her in disbelief. She didn't have a clue why she had just asked this guy such a question.

He was scanning the dress tag. "Hmm. Nothing. I just, have a crush, that's all"

**Oh god. Don't tell me your personal problems please…**

He went on. "It' just, I wait outside of this one place everyday, waiting for them to get out of work. I mean, I wait, sometimes at least 4 or 5 hours everyday. I sit outside of where they work, and I mean, I get bored so easily, so I play my bongos"

**This guy is obsessed.**

"Bongos, really, so are you done yet?"

"Your total is $640"

She handed the cash to him. "Here"

He put the dress in bag.

**That's real smart.**

Graeme handed her over the bag. He was now girlishly twisting one of his dread locks.

He handed back her change.

"Thank you for shopping at Melanie's, have a nice day"

Ellie and Quinn quickly bolted out the door.

**Strangest moment of my life…**

The day of the Formal had finally arrived. Every one at school had been crazy. No one concentrated at all in their classes at all, especially, Quinn. She tapped her pencil constantly thinking of Craig. She kept thinking about Marco's after party and what was going to happen. She was excited, although, she didn't have a clue on what Craig had up his sleeve

It was 5:30 p.m. and Quinn was getting ready in her bathroom.

Somehow, she and her mother had somehow came across the album print of Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of The Moon' border on the internet. They immediately ordered it, and there it was, pasted across the bathroom. The paint color was a dark green. There was a 'Hollywood' type of mirror in the bathroom. The tile was a light green, and in the left corner was her shower, the right, her toilet. The cabinet that her sink was on was a light, tan brown. She loved her bathroom.

It was now 9:00 and it was dark out. Quinn was straightening her hair. She decided that she didn't want an up-do; she didn't want to have to sit in a solon chair for a half an hour. She decided not to flip it out. She wanted to look very elegant. Her two front layers graced her chin. Just as she was a applying her mascara, Marie started screaming

"QUINN! Your stupid boyfriends here!"

**Oh god. I'm not ready for this; I hope he likes the dress…**

Her make up was done. She looked in front of the mirror. There was someone else there, it wasn't her…

She walked in to the front of her house. There was Craig. He was in a baggy gray tux. The tie was a dark blue, and his hair was a mix between straight, and curly. He looked amazing.

Craig was shocked. She looked beautiful all the time, but, tonight, there was something different about her. She had a deep sense of confidence about her.

"Wow, Um, Quinn, you look. Beautiful"

No guy had ever called her beautiful before. This was a surprise.

He continued, "So, I got Joey's car, are you ready to leave?"

Marie called from the kitchen "Be home by three you two! No sex!"

They both ignored her, Quinn, focused on Craig's question.

"Yeah one sec" She went into the porch as Craig followed. She slipped into her black flip flops.

Craig went towards the door. The inside porch was pretty big. It was screened in. The floor was of concrete, and to the left of them hanging down, was Quinn's grandmother's porch swing.

He opened the door for her. She tried and smiled, but just couldn't do it.

"Wait" he said as he went running down the steps. "Let me help you, my lady"

Oh my god, this is so sweet.

She decided to go along with it. She smiled "Why thank you kind sir"

He offered her his hand. She accepted gracefully.

She didn't have to walk far down the steps. There were only about 5 and Craig's arms were long. He had a strong grip. The length to the road was long.

_She is going to be so excited to see where we're really going! I know she will…I just hope she won't freak out on me…_

He gently weaved his fingers through hers to the walk. They felt nice, like some how, they were always meant to stay.

The distance to the car was great. There was a long pathway to the driveway that was about 200 feet. Quinn's dad always wanted privacy and he had gotten it. Along the pathway there were millions of now overgrown shrubs. Her mother hadn't bothered re – hiring a gardener…not after last time.

They now had arrived at the car. It was parked out on the street. A slight breeze blew through Quinn's hair. The nightly stars were now out. That was one thing she always liked about her yard, you could always see the stars at night…

_I might as well break it to her…alright. I will, no I cant, I will…I have too._

"Quinn, I have a surprise for you, Alright? You won't be disappointed. I promise, just cover your eyes, alright?"

Quinn stepped into the car. The interior was a tan-ish color. The floor was clean and it smelled nice. All around it was a good car.

She covered her eyes as Craig started it up.

"Keep them covered alright"

**Hopefully he isn't going to take me to a hotel…**

Craig drove on to the highway. They were now heading to town called 'St. Gregory'. A beach town on Lake Ontario. His father had owned a cottage there, and left it to Craig in his will. He drove up there earlier that day to set up everything on the beach. The blanket, the battery powered stereo and the candles. School dances weren't really his thing. It was fenced in so they would have _plenty _of privacy

Quinn had a smile on her face the whole time. She knew that he wasn't going to take her to Degrassi, but somewhere nice, probably a hall that he had rented out. There wasn't any discussion going on in the car, they were both too excited. Quinn had an anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew that this night was going to be one to remember…

Craig pulled into the Cottage driveway. The outside of it looked like a log cabin. The wood was a dark brown. It was surrounded by Pine and Oak trees. The ground was a mix between thin beach grass, sand and dirt. There was a picnic table in the front, where Craig and his mother always had lunch there…when he was little…

He grabbed her hand

"Open your eyes Quinn"

Oh my god. There it was. Quinn could here the waves crashing against the beach. She was so excited. She hadn't been to the beach in four years.

Craig

"Let's go to the beach"

She was speechless. She tried to talk, but she lipped a silent yes. Craig undid his seat belt. She un-did hers, seconds after.

Quinn stepped out of the car and looked around. The cottage looked like paradise. It was small, but cozy. Craig suddenly grabbed her hand and took her behind the cottage. It wasn't long before they seen it. It was the lake.

To Quinn, it was un-describable. The moon was shining over, it the stars lit up the sky. It was about 60 degrees out. Unusually warm for an October night, there was slight breeze, that was stirring the sand around but it didn't matter.

"So, would you like to go down and enjoy the night?"

"Definitely"

Craig led her down to the beach by her hand. There was huge bush. He took her around the corner. Awaiting them was a blue, plaid blanket, a couple of candles, and small, gray portable stereo. Ahead them, was the lake.

This was amazing. Here she was, not expected to be back at her house, at a cottage, with Craig

"This is amazing Craig…"

_A little voice in Craig's head kept repeating: "Tell her. Tell her about Manny, about Ashley. How you almost had a kid…tell her…tell her" _

_I can't tell her not now. Some other time…_

He led her towards the blanket. "Here we can sit down, and talk"

They both sat down, facing each other. Craig leaned over towards the stereo and turned on some music. It was a mix of songs, the first one playing, was 'I need you' by The Beatles.

**Oh, god just the song to play**

"I think this is just the perfect song to play, because it's true…"

The waves were crashing upon the shore. This was so romantic. It was unreal…

He leaned into kiss her. She kissed him back. Giving more into, they soon got more into it, his tongue, slipping into her mouth, rapidly. Craig's hands made their way to the back of her dress. He slowly let go of her lips not knowing what to do. She shook her head yes. He started unzipping her dress, slowly

**What am I doing, I'm about 10 seconds away from having sex!**

She could barely make out his face, but his cheeks look flushed. "You want to…?"

**No, I don't Craig, why must our relationship always come back to sex?**

Against her wishes, she nodded her head…

He got back down and started kissing her. Quinn was now in her dress slip, which was silky and black, Craig's hands made their way up the slip, caressing her breasts

**I can't be doing this, not now, does he even have protection?**

"Craig, wait"

He disgustedly sat up. "What"

"Do you have, a, you know, condom?"

"Yes, I'll put it on later, lets, just, get back to where we were?"

**Does he love me? Do I love him, damn, what the hell?**

He started leaning.

"Craig, do you love me?"

_He froze. He didn't know what to say. A joke, yes a joke, that would be great! _

"Nope, I think you smell" he said sarcastically

"Craig, come on"

She thought of something, she hadn't been in the water for months, or even swimming.

She went on, "Craig, you want to go swimming?"

"Well…"

She sat up. "Come on Craig, it would be fun…"

_Craig looked at her. She looked so beautiful, standing underneath the stars like that Her hands were placed at her hips, again, he had just wooed her into his spell romantically. She was now in her black, silky slip. It was barely covering her chest, and he just kept staring. He didn't want to go swimming; the water was probably freezing…_

He looked at her confused. "Are you sure, swimming, it's probably 40 degrees!"

She smiled at him. "So, we can, you know, warm each other up…"

Quinn took of running for the water, Craig running behind her. This was extremely unlike her. But with Craig, she felt like anything was possible.

"Quinn, what are you doing?"

"I told you Craig! I'm going to swim"

She got to waters edge, "Are you coming or not rocker boy?"

"Defiantly coming" Craig took off of his tux as fast as he could. He left at the shore, as it got swept up with the waves, never to return. The only thing he was in was his dark red boxer shorts. He was freezing.

Quinn was now up to the first sand bar. It was only up to her lower shins.

"Craig come on" She said as she was splashing the water. It wasn't that freezing; it was only about 60 degrees.

Craig ran into the water, his feet were starting to go numb. Their bodies now pressed against each other trying to fight off the cold. Quinn could feel him tipping backwards into the freezing waters of Lake Ontario. She opened her eyes; Craig scooped her out of the water. Once again, he pressed his body against hers.

He whispered into his ears, "You wanna go back into shore, where, we have a blanket, and we can keep each other warm"

**Here comes the "I wanna have sex with you" part.**

"Craig, I want to stay here, like this"

His hands were now going up and down her back. "No, really, I'm freezing my ass of, let's go and be lovers in shore ok?"

"Craig, I just want to stay here, no sex okay?"

"What? I mean, just a minute ago…" he trailed off. He was getting pissed off.

"A minute ago. Craig, that was then alright?"

He let go over her. "Why, why now, can't we just go back in to shore and stay where we were?"

Quinn was getting mad. "Craig, because I don't want to"

"Why Quinn, just tell me?"

"Craig no, don't ruin it okay?"

"Ruin what, why is something wrong with me?"

Quinn turned around and looked at Craig's face. He looked hurt. Nothing was wrong with him, he was perfect…

"No, Craig, nothing's wrong with you, why would you even say that?"

_Why am I fighting with her like this…?_

"Then why Quinn, why don't you want to do it?"

She didn't love him; it was too soon, pregnancy, babies…anything

"Craig it's not that…"

"Tell me Quinn, what is it?"

"Fine Craig, you wanna know why?"

Craig had this smug look on his face. "Yes. Please, tell me"

Quinn looked defeated. "Because, I had a baby".

She looked defeated. He had won.


	7. The Good Fight Part 2

Author's note: Sorry about the lack of updating! First I had writers block and then I actually had a conversation with Graeme, a.k.a. Jake Epstein's best friend! I am in still in after shock, but I totally don't mean what I said about him in the previous chapter. He is awesome and not to mention, very cool.

Craig folded his arms. He spoke solemnly and slowly. "What, what, do you mean, you, you, had a baby?"

Quinn was heading towards the beach. Craig was still in the middle of the sand bar. The sand slid in between her toes freely.

"Ya know Manning; you don't look that stupid, but now…"

"Quinn look at me!" She turned around. There was this sad, betrayed look on his face.

She stood. "Craig, you don't have a clue…"

"Don't say that Quinn"

"Don't say what Craig? You go home everyday to a nice family, a family who cares about you, you…"

He cut her off. He started shouting. "DON'T SAY THAT QUINN!"

She was stunned. Craig was a mellow type of guy, not the type that would blow up in a couple of seconds like that. She looked at his face. Tears were slowly streaming down his cheeks. It looked like he hadn't shaved in a couple of days. It hit him hard, those couple of words she had spoken.

He went on, sounding much calmer "You, you don't know alright…"

She was mad at him. How could he blow up at her like that? "Oh yeah, Craig, I don't know what?" she said in a sarcastic tone.

_Tell her now. You have to, she deserves to know…_

Quinn walked through the water to where Craig was standing, he just looked lonely. She didn't know what to say, and she was pretty sure she had just said the wrong thing. There were just so many mysteries about him. She knew zero information about his past. It just never came up when they were talking. Of course she wanted to know, but she didn't want to pry either.

"It's just, that…"

She looked him straight in the eyes. He looked sadden and hurt. He playfully messed up his wild, curly hair, which was almost now dry. He continued on. "We have more in common than you think…" He looked distraught. He was nervously twisting his fingers around and tapping his foot in the water.

Quinn wasn't buying it. She glared at him. "What are you talking about, Craig?"

_Tell her, you've gotta. If you're gonna have a relationship you have to tell her! Craig thought to himself…_

"Quinn…I just, I had, I, almost…"

_Tell her, you have to!_

He continued on. "A kid, too"

_Tell her the whole story! You have too…_

Quinn was in shock. She was thinking of so many things to say, but she couldn't get them out. She managed a "wha, what?"

He looked kind of embarrassed. "You know, a, a kid"

She was hurt. Why hadn't he told her earlier? She wanted to know who it was with.

"With who and where is it now?" She didn't mean to sound so emotion-less, she was just in shock.

**That's probably why everyone calls him a man whore…I get it, now…**

_You have to tell her. It's for the best…do it. She looked so sad and hurt standing there. The water was now calming down, but getting colder. He wanted to hug her so bad, but he couldn't find the strength. It was taking him so much emotionally for him to do this._

"With Manny Santos, and We….I mean she, she, got an abortion"

He looked powerless, like somehow he had just been beaten.

She struggled with her words. "When?"

He looked around. He was wondering what to say. He knew that this wasn't the best time to admit this. He just basically said that he hated her for not having sex and now was admitting that he almost had a kid.

"Last, year" he said as he cleared his thought.

She didn't know what to say. She had gotten pregnant from the rape, but gave her baby up for adoption. It hurt her so much inside to give that baby up, but she knew she had to do it. She knew how he felt. How it was to give something up like that. Something so special.

"Craig, I know, I mean, I can, relate". She took his hand. It was freezing.

She went on. "You know, I think it would be best if we went up to the cottage, and sat and talked"

Craig looked happy. He was rubbing his hands together. He whispered, "Good idea!"

It was so easy to forgive Craig. He stood there so innocently, like he was a child. Like he didn't know what he had done. Then his facial expressions…the way his eyes sat when he was sad, or the way his eyebrows went up when he was disappointed. Quinn couldn't ever stay mad at him.

They walked up the hill. They didn't care that they had left the blanket and the stereo on the beach. They could see from a distance that the candles had burnt out, so they just left it. They just walked up, slowly and silently, both, mentally and physically drained. They finally arrived at the top of the hill. Craig and Quinn walked around to the front, so they could get in.

"Uh, Craig, the key?"

"Its right over here" Craig went behind the dark green, over grown shrub, and grabbed what looked to be a hidden key.

"My dad, he, uh, always hid them here".

Quinn's body was filled with goose bumps, as was Craig's. He slid the key into the lock and opened the door. Craig stepped in the rustic cottage and motioned for Quinn to follow.

She took one look around. It was amazing. There were big, fluffy, leather couches. The carpet was a comfortable, soft, brown color. The walls were of course of log. There were pictures hung up everywhere, of what looked to be Craig and his family. She couldn't really make them out in the dark…all she could see were the frames…

"There isn't any electricity, but I think, there might be some battery powered lamps around her someplace…"

Craig felt his way around, to what looked like to be storage cabinets. The moon was giving them some sort of light, but not a lot. He opened up the drawer and pulled out a green lantern. He twisted the knob and he turned it on. He held it up and walked over towards Quinn. He led her towards the overstuffed loveseat.

"You, want to, um, sit down?"

Things were getting awkward between them. She didn't want it to be this way.

"Yeah, sure"

"Wait, I'll get some blankets"

Craig walked into the only bedroom as Quinn sat down on the couch. It was casual, yet comfortable. She settled herself in, sitting. She didn't want to lye down; she figured Craig was going to sit next to her.

"Here, I found these on bed in there." He came out with at least 6 blankets. That was smart, she thought. It really was, they both were freezing, and were in very little clothing.

He plopped a whole bunch on Quinn. Some were silky and some were fuzzy. She wrapped herself like a little Eskimo. They felt nice against her cold body. Craig sat the lantern on the coffee table and just as Quinn thought, He sat down, not knowing where to put his long legs. Quinn turned her body and faced Craig. He put his legs out side of hers; she rested hers inside of his. He gently took a blanket from the floor and put it over both of their legs. She leaned back, her body, supported by the headrest.

She started twisting her hair. It was now halfway dry. Craig was looking straight at her, thinking of something to say.

"Quinn, I'm…I'm sorry"

**Good for you. You should be.**

She wanted to say it. She wanted to apologize, but nothing was coming out of her mouth. She wanted everything to be right with Craig.

"Craig…"

"Don't say it. You don't have to be"

"I don't want things to be weird, I mean, look how it is now…"

"I know, I mean, I really want to have a good relationship with you…one that doesn't end up with a girl pregnant or psycho ex…"

Psycho ex? What did this mean?

"Psycho ex, Craig, you have me lost…are you talking about Manny?"

_Now is the time, tell her, you have to._

Craig looked around. He knew that he had to tell her sometime, and this had to be it. He pulled the blanket up closer to his chest.

"Ash, she's, she's my ex, Quinn"

Quinn understood. He cheated on Ashley with Manny. What would this mean? Would he do it again?

"So, let me get this straight. You cheated on Ashley, with Man… Manny, and then you got her pregnant?"

She looked at him. He just sat there, emotionless.

Quinn went on. "Craig, I just, I don't know if you'll do it again" She grabbed the blankets and pulled them over her head. Craig just didn't understand…

"Quinn I won't. And I know I won't. You'll just have to trust me, okay?"

He pulled the blankets over his head and went under. He couldn't see her but he knew that she was sitting there, silently in the pitch black darkness and he kissed her a passionate kiss.

She pulled away and grabbed his arm. "Craig, I've been hurt so much, and I don't want to get hurt again…"

"Quinn, I promise, I'll never do that to you…"

Quinn turned around so she was sitting in between his legs. He lay down so his head was peacefully on the headrest. She put her head down on his stomach. His body was now warm. He put his hands in between her fingers and laced them together. He started stroking her thumb.

"Wait, I can't breathe, so I'm going to pull these down alright?"

Craig pulled the blankets so they were beneath her chin. She felt perfect, sitting there. They were squished but they didn't care. They both felt like they were needed. He told her about ½ of his past, and he didn't know why he hadn't told her the rest. It wasn't the time…it just wasn't the time…

Quinn heard something buzzing. She was guessing it was Craig's cell phone.

"Craig, I think someone's calling you…"

"Oh right" The cell phone was on the coffee table. Craig felt his way around in the darkness and picked it up, Quinn still lye on his stomach.

"Hello"

"Craig, it's Joey, I think you need to come home"

Joey sounded sad. Craig thought something was wrong immediately.

"But, Joey, you said I could stay out until three, it's what, 1:00 now, right?"

"Craig, I need to tell you something, you, need to get home now, alright?"

"Um, yeah, sure Joey, I'll be there"

He flipped the cell phone closed. "Um, Joey says I need to get home, I'm sure Angie's just sick or something so, I'm sure I could just drop you off home or something, or we could hang out in my garage, or head to Marco's. So, I'll just stop by for a minute. Joey's pretty cool about letting me stay out"

"My mom just doesn't care. I could go away for a week and she wouldn't ever notice…"

_Craig smiled and thought to himself... Really? I'll have to remember that…_

She was disgusted. Why did he have to call? Thing's were going perfect. They weren't fighting and they were close to making out.

Craig started smiling, and kissed her neck. "I'm sure we can stay for 15 more minutes"

He turned around and got upon Quinn's frail body. He placed his lips slowly on top of hers…one thing led to another…and they started making out, again.

But…

What they didn't know that what Joey was going to tell them would change their lives…dramatically…maybe…forever?


	8. My Inspiration

Author's note: Please read and review. The name of my title is the name of my favorite song by Mind the Gap...if you guys have access to a file sharing system, Download it! It's awesome! Enjoy...

Quinn thought of something as Craig started kissing her. This is the most romantic moment of my life; I need to seize the moment. I need to give back to him. I'll do it; I'll have sex with him

She slowly let go of his kiss. "Craig, I wanna, I wanna do, _it_"

"_It_, like..._sex_?"

_Woah..._

"Yeah. Sex Craig"

"Are you sure"

She started thinking about everything she started blurting out words. If she was giving up something so precious to him, she wanted to know if he loved her. She asked him.

"Do you love me Craig?"

He started scratching his head. He didn't know what to say.

"Quinn, I really, really..."

She finished for him. She knew what he was going to say. "Like you"

_That wasn't true. He loved her, he truly loved her. He couldn't say it. It was taking so much from hi, emotionally, doing this, reviving his past. He never had believed in love at first site, but now that he fell for Quinn, everything had changed..._

"Love you"

Quinn's mouth dropped open. She figured that he would have froze up at the moment. She didn't know what to say, she was shocked.

"Craig..."

He looked around. "Don't say it. I know how you feel"

She smiled. He always said the right things.

He went on. "Are you sure?"

"Yes"

"Positive, now shut up and kiss me Manning"

He leaned his head and kissed her. She tugged on his boxers, which were damp. He lifted his head from hers. She playfully ran her fingers through his hair. She bit his lower lip. He caressed her back; his finger's finding their way to the zipper to undo her slip.

Craig whispered "I love you"

Throughout the next 30 minutes, the light on the table slowly flickered its way out. The found each other. Quinn had finally lost her real virginity to a guy she had really cared about. She focused her attention on the sounds of Lake Ontario. Craig slowly got off of her. She started crying. Tears of happiness. She really loved Craig. He took his hand and wiped them off of her face.

"Don't. It's okay"

She put her arms around Craig. His body was warm. He brought her closely to his body and squeezed her tight. He just held her.

She let go. "You wanna get home?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, not really. But, Joey sounded weird on the phone so we should. If it was my choice, I would stay."

They were both sitting in the dark. The light was out, and the moon shining through the windows. He put his hand on her knee, thinking about what to do. He wanted to stay so bad, but Joey needed him for some reason.

"Do you wanna go down to the beach so you can get your dress, I don't know, maybe there's a store open somewhere around here where I can get some clothes"

"Not really. It's ruined anyways"

She got into her slip as Craig in his boxers. Quinn looked around. Craig was sitting on the couch thinking. She messed her back to normal.

"You wanna, um, getting going?"

**No**

"Sure"

**I love you Craig Manning.**

Craig folded the blankets and put them over the couch. The lamp still sat on the table. Everything was neatly put back into place. There was no proof of teenage passion had ever been here. They both arrived at the door, side by side. He opened the door for her. She stepped outside. There was a slight breeze coming from the lake. The leaves were rattling on the ground. He went behind the bush and hid the keys. He was rubbing his hands together. They started walking towards the car. Quinn took one look back. She placed her hand up on the railings on the steps. She didn't want to leave. She had wanted to stay here, with Craig. This was the most romantic, yet confusing night of her life. She didn't want it to end.

They arrived at the car. It just sat there; Craig was on the side unlocking it. She opened the door and got in. He started it up and pulled out of the driveway. Quinn looked out of the window. She started thinking about the night. How wonderful it was.

"Craig, I don't know how, I mean, thank you, this, well, it was amazing"

_He took a quick glance over at her. He was tapping his thumbs against the steering wheel. He didn't want to say anything to ruin the moment. He turned on the radio. 'Your star' by The All American Rejects started playing._

"I think when we get back home, I'll go to the mall or something, and get some clothes"

"You just want to come to my house, so I can get some clothes on; I think I still have your flannel in my closet somewhere. Plus, the mall isn't open"

"Alright, but how are we gonna get in? I mean, won't your mom still be up?"

"Probably not, I mean, she's probably out...ever since dad left" she trailed off.

He tried to smile. "Alright, sounds like a, plan"

Craig went back to concentrating on his driving, his fingers on the steering wheel...

Quinn glanced out the window. The exit that they needed to take was just coming up. Craig occasionally looked over at her. It was dark out. She looked at the stereo. The time read 1:30 a.m. Her curfew was whenever she felt like coming home. Outside, darkness and the overcast filled the sky. There weren't any stars out...

Craig started humming something. "Anything but the blatant proof was your lips touching mine in a photo booth"

Quinn loved this song. It was Death Cab's 'Photo booth'. She joined in. "Everything that I said was true, as the flashes blinded us in the photo booth"

She looked over at Craig and smiled. The song didn't exactly go that way, but it didn't matter.

"You know, sometime we should go to a real photo booth"

"You're right, we should, let's make a date"

She leaned over the arm rest and leaned her head on Craig's shoulder. Everything felt so right...so perfect.

They finally arrived at Quinn's house. Craig parked Joey's car on the street. They both got out of the car and walked up the pathway to her house, hand in hand. Quinn opened up her door. It wasn't locked.

**Figures**

She led him through her house, they arrived at her room. She opened the door and flipped on the light. Craig went over and sat on her bed, not knowing what to do. "You know you have an awesome room right?"

Quinn was over at her closet. She was searching through her closet to find Craig's flannel. She found it. She hung it up, after that night they had a fight, never expecting to ever bring it out again. She threw it over at him. It fell over his head

"Hey! No violence or you know what'll happen..." he said flirtatiously

She smiled at him. She starting searching for something she could wear to over at Craig's

"So, do you want me to come over?"

Craig ignored that question and put his flannel on. "Joey is so gonna get mad when he sees me like this"

That was true. Craig didn't have any pants on, only his boxers, his hair was poofy, and he wasn't wearing a shirt.

He went on. "That tux was, like, 450 bucks"

"Hmm, maybe you left something here, I'll look after I find something for me, but wait, and you want me to come over?"

"Again, if it was my choice, yeah. Since Joey is home, no"

She was disappointed. She wanted to hang out with Craig more. "Well, maybe after he's done talking to you, you can come over or something"

He lay back on her bed. "Did I mention you have an awesome room?"

She browsed through her closet for her pajamas. She found an old t-shirt, from where she had participated in junior high summer basketball camp. It was white. She started looking for a pair of old bottoms she could wear. She found some. They were black and pink striped pajama bottoms. She couldn't reach around her back to zip her slip off.

"Craig, will you help me?" She turned around and tried pointed to her zipper.

His face lit up. "No problem"

She smiled. She just wanted to get out of it and get into some comfortable clothes.

Craig rolled over so he could get up. He walked over towards where she was standing.

He placed his head on her shoulders and wrapped his arms around her waste. She leaned her head back and kissed him.

She turned around and let go of his grip. "Here, just slide the zipper down" she tried smiling; she just wanted to get out of the slip.

"Alright" Craig's hands slid over her shoulders. She felt a zing go through her. He unzipped the slip and turned around.

"I won't look, I promise"

She got into her pajamas. Little by little, Craig started turning his head.

He went over to her and put his arms around her. "I don't want to leave you".

Quinn put her arms around him. She didn't want to him to. She wanted him to stay. "Just promise, you'll try and come over okay, and if my light's off, just climb up my window and wake me up okay? I don't care, just try..."

Craig headed towards her. "I promise"

She ran over to him and kissed him. "I love you Craig"

He picked up a bundle of her hair strands. "I love you too"

It was all happening to fast...it was passing like a blur

He walked out the door. Quinn peeked out of her room. Craig was walking through the hallway. She shut the door to her room and went over to her bed. She pulled the deep purple comforter up and lay down and pulled it up to her chest. She turned over on her right side. She closed her eyes and drifted off into her own world of dreams and thoughts...

She woke up to a sound of someone stumbling in her room. She turned over and all though it was blurry, she seen it was Craig.

She slowly sat herself up and sat on the edge of the bed. She looked over at the clock. It was 4:30 in the morning.

**Well, at least he came back...**

Craig paced back and forth. He came and sat down by her on the edge of her bed. He now had a blue shirt underneath his red flannel and was wearing a pair of khaki cargo pants.

Quinn ran her fingers through her hair to straighten it back to normal. He lay back, right next to her.

"Craig, you alright?"

She lay down next to him and rested her head on his arm.

"Quinn, I just can't believe it"

She started tapping her feet on the ground.

"What? You can't believe what?"

"Quinn, I just, I can't even say it"

"Craig, what, seriously, what?"

"Angie's dead"

Tears started streaming down Craig's face. Quinn just sat there...not knowing what to say...


	9. So, you think you can tell?

Author's note: Wow, I was seriously thinking about deleting my last chapter, but you guys seem to like it. I don't, some if it was impulsive of me. It's taking me a lot of thought to plan out the entire story details so that's why it's taking me really long to get chapters up. But there is a lot more coming, _believe me_. So, all of my loyal readers, you will have more to enjoy! Please read and review, it's awesome when you guys do that! Ha-ha...

Quinn looked over at Craig. She didn't know what to say. She was speechless. This was one of those times that couldn't relate. He was lying down on her bed, balling his eyes out. She never had seen anyone this way. Her grandmother died when she was six but that was about it. She didn't understand it back then. She never understood anything...

"Are, is, is she dead?"

He looked around. "She's in critical care right now. They're, they're not sure if she's going to make it..." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I told Joey that I needed to think, and I promised you that I would come back" he paused for a minute. "Here I am".

She felt terrible. He came back. He actually came back. She was thinking of something to say, something that would make him feel better. But, she just couldn't couldn't

She went down and sat next to him on her bed.

She put her hand over his. "Craig, I am so sorry..."

Craig sat up. "No, the person who was driving the stupid car should be sorry. I swear, if I ever find him..."

He was so mad, that he was to the point of hyperventilating

"Craig, calm down, take a couple of deep breaths..."

He sighed deep in from beneath his chest. "I just, like, I can't understand the fact how someone could do something like that"

Quinn was rubbing his back in comforting motion. She wanted to do for him what he would do for her. She didn't know what happened to Angie, and wasn't about to ask.

He started crying again. "I just can't believe it. My little sister. The closest thing to my mom. Is in the hospital suffering. Suffering because someone was drunk..."

"Craig, she knows that you love her, you have to get back there. Be there. You have to. You know it"

"I can't. I can't take it anymore Quinn" Craig paused for a second. "Joey said it was fine. He doesn't care right now. He needs to be there. I need to be there"

She scooted over and hugged him. That's what he needed. His body felt cold pressed up against hers. Like something was missing.

He went on. "I don't know what I want. I just don't know..."

"She's not dead. She'll make it. I know she will"

Quinn suddenly had a rush to go upstairs, wake her sister up, hug her, and never let her go.

Honestly, Quinn wanted to get back to sleep. But Craig was here, and he needed her. They sat there for a while, just hugging each other. His flannel felt nice as she grabbed it. She looked around. The sun was starting to come up.

"Craig, are you going to go back home or to the hospital, or what?" That came out totally wrong, she thought. She wanted it to sound sincere...caring. But it didn't. It sounded like she wanted him to leave.

He let go of Quinn and looked around. "I don't think I can go back. Not tonight"

**Please don't say you want to crash here...**

"Joey, I think he'll be staying at the hosptial, and I just. I don't think I'll be able to..."

"Craig"

He interrupted her. "You mind if I stay here?"

She couldn't reject him like that. He seemed so innocent, so hurt when she looked at him. She agreed. It's not like her mom checked on her in her room anyway.

She tucked a piece of hair behind her ears and wiped her eyes. She was still a little groggy, but agreed to have him sleep over.

"I'll find you a sleeping bag if that's okay?"

Craig shook his head in good motion "Yeah its fine"

Quinn walked over towards her closet. She opened the doors and looked around. She seen the slip that she had worn, hours before, an old Barbie car that she used to play with when she was younger, and then she seen her sleeping bag. It was a dark, rich green. She had gotten it when she was about 10 years old for their vacation in Washington. They had gone camping in the forest. It hadn't worked out very well, seeing how Marie was only about 6 and their mother had food poisoning. They left a day early

She called over to Craig from her closet and held up her sleeping bag. "This okay?"

His face went into shock. His long legs wouldn't ever be able to fit in that. Quinn made an expression on her face. "You want to sleep in my bed?"

**Please no sex...please no sex...please no sex...**

"Yeah, thats fine"

Quinn dropped the sleeping bag back and walked over on the right side of her bed, Craig standing on the left. Her bed was pretty much made. She didn't feel like redoing it all.

"You don't mind it like this?

He shook his head. "Not at all"

She was tempted to say 'No strings attached' but didn't feel like dealing with that tonight. **She just wanted to get some sleep.**

She pulled the covers up, still standing next to her bed. She felt like she had to say something funny. Just to lighten up the conversation.

"I feel like we're married. This is the second time that we would be sleeping together"

A smiled appeared on Craig's face. "Yeah, I know. Amazing huh?"

Quinn smiled back at him while holding up her blanket. "You want to get in?"

He was standing at the other side of her bed. "Yeah, I promise, I won't, like, snore or anything"

_Craig looked confused for a minute. He didn't know whether he should be with Joey, or just get away from it all. He didn't know what to do. He was lost…_

Quinn was lying down in her bed. She looked up at Craig. He was still standing up, although, he looked like he was spacing out.

"Craig, you wanna get some sleep?"

He snapped back to reality. "Oh, yeah, sleep, okay"

He pulled the blankets up and lay down. Quinn turned over and shut off her lamp and then faced her body towards Craig's.

"Thank you, so much, for doing this"

**Hmm…**

She pulled the blankets closer to her chin. Why must he be so charming, she thought.

She didn't know what else to say. Her boyfriend was sleeping in her bed her. There was nothing to say.

"Quinn, thank you, seriously. I know…"

He turned over so he was lying on his back. Quinn moved over towards him and rested her head on his arm. She tugged at his flannel. Craig had this blank look on his face.

"Craig, you know, that I'm always her for you right?" She put her hand underneath the blankets and found his. She forcefully laced their hands together.

Craig was fidgeting around. He couldn't fall asleep like this. He didn't say anything.

"Craig…"

Quinn looked outside towards her window. The sky was a peach, purplish color. It was beautiful.

He interrupted her. "I'm going to try and go to sleep okay. I mean, it's not like I will anyways…"

"Okay then…"

This is grand. My boyfriend is acting like a complete jerk….I think he's my boyfriend. I mean, I hope he is…**Oh god…**she thought

She turned over. She just wanted to get some sleep. She had a long day.

"G'night Craig"

"'Night As… um…Quinn"

**As Quinn? Whatever…**

Quinn turned over and pulled the blankets to her chest. She felt so terrible. She had never seen anyone like this, but she could understand. She thought about the night. About Craig. About everything. She thought until she couldn't think anymore….slowly her mind went off into soothing dreams….

"SEE! Mom, look I told you!"

Quinn heard her door open. She propped herself on her elbows and looked towards the door. There stood her mother and Marie.

"Quinn! What the hell are you doing?"

Craig awoke suddenly. He looked terrified.

"I told you mom, she's having sex again…"

"Quinn! What, who is that?"

She looked over at Craig. He sat up. He was still in his clothes from hours earlier. He slept in his clothes…great. She thought…

Craig spoke up. "Mrs. …."

"Mom, meet my boyfriend. Craig"

Her mother's jaw dropped as Marie crossed her arms in satisfaction.


	10. Your star

Author's note: Please read and review….hmmm, that's all.

Quinn looked over at her mother. She was furious. Her face was a deep shade of red and she was tapping her foot in fast pace motion.

"YOUR BOYFRIEND?"

_Great…I need to get out of here…_

"Quinn, Quinn's mom and sister, I think I'm going. Thanks for letting me, um, crash here"

Craig got up from her bed and headed out the door. He looked back at Quinn with a sympathetic expression. She thought about flipping him off, but decided not to.

She managed to squeak out a mere goodbye. She had a feeling that this day was going to be rotten. Great, she thought. My mom has busted me. One time she actually cares. Surprising.

"What was your boyfriend doing in your bed?"

Marie chimed in. "Yeah mom! She's stayed the night with him before. She wasn't home for one night once!"

Her mother ignored Marie. Her eyes were popping out of her head. She must have had a hangover she thought.

"I asked, you, a question. ANSWER ME!"

She could talk her way out of this. She knew she could. All she had to do was mention her father and her mom was gone.

"Well, his, um, his sister is in the hospital…"

"Well, shouldn't he be there?"

**That's what I thought…**

Quinn tried to smile. "Um. Yeah?" She went on. "She got ran over. And he couldn't take all of the stress, and he came through my window last night…"

"YOUR WINDOW!"

She pulled the blankets closer to her for some sort of security. She adjusted her eye set so she looked like she was pleading for forgiveness.

"He was in tears. I offered the sleeping bag, but he's too tall. We haven't done anything. I swear to god"

**Well…not that you know of …**

She went on. "I mean, it's not like you're ever home anyway. Ever since Dad, all you do is go out and drink. You're a fucking drunk and Marie is a slut. Bringing every boy..."

Marie uncrossed her arms in disgust. "Excuse me, I'm not the one who got pregnant and was caught with a boy in my bed"

A sad frown appeared on her mother's face. "I'm done with this. I'm done with you"

And that was that. Her mother walked out of her doorway and went off somewhere.

"Nice going bitch" her sister said.

**Great, this is great. My mom caught me in bed, my little sister…I need to get out of here**.

Her sister went on. "You know what, you can just kiss my…"

Quinn got up from her bed and headed towards her doorway. She pushed Marie "Get out of my way"

She headed down her hallway and towards the door. Marie was shouting names at her as she was running.

"You'll just wind up pregnant again. Everyone knows it. _Everyone_"

Quinn turned around. There she was, just standing there with a sly grin on her face. Arms crossed and everything.

She went on. "You're just a disgusting little pig…"

She had enough. She thought about screaming at her, but that wasn't it. So she decided to punch her in the face. Hard. She had hurt her knuckles in the process.

Quinn had knocked her down on the ground. She didn't care. Those words hurt. Marie was just lying there, rubbing her jaw and muttering out something. She had almost looked lifeless.

She went on down through the hallway. She was looking around for her green pair of flip flops. She looked outside. The sky was gray and it was pouring out. She found them, put them on and went outside. She ran towards her driveway and got into her car. She looked back to her house. It didn't remind her of anything. She thought about how happy she was when they moved in. There was something exciting about getting something new. The excitement had totally left. The shrubs were overgrown and the lawn hadn't been mowed in over a month

Quinn opened the door to her Mercedes. She slowly turned the key and pulled out of her driveway. She drove down her street and turned left. She kept on driving. She was just going around, just to drive. The rain droplets were pounding her window. Her windshield wipers were furiously cleansing it off. She looked ahead of her. There was someone walking on the sidewalk. They were in a black shirt, and their hair was ferociously puffy. The started waving her down. She pulled over and rolled down the window. It was Spinner.

"Hey, can I grab a ride with you" He said as he stuck his hands in his pocket. "My car broke down while I was on my way to work" He pointed off in the distance.

She didn't really want to give him a ride. He was Spinner. Rude, Perverted, Charming, funny Spinner. Oh well. Might as well she thought.

"Yeah sure, get in"

She watched him walk around the car. It was monstrous outside. It was now down pouring. She felt sorry that his car broke down.

Spinner opened up the door and sat down. Quinn shifted her car to park.

She looked over at him. "Put your seat belt on"

"Alright, alright. I am riding in a Mercedes. This is awesome"

Quinn shifted and started towards The Dot. Every time something bad happens, Spinner always shows up. Great, she thought.

Spinner didn't say anything for five minutes. He was just looking around, checking her car out. "My boss is going to kill me"

"You know what, that's good" She smiled at him. He looked really cute. His dirty blonde hair was out of control. And his goofy smile. **You have a boyfriend remember? And he has a girlfriend…**

"I can't believe you have a Mercedes, that's awesome!"

"Thanks. My dad gave it to me for my 16th birthday. Craig said the same thing when I first, um…yeah…" A picture of Craig sitting down at a hospital chair next to bed came into her mind. That's where she was going to go! The hospital. I am a genius she thought.

A cocky smile appeared on Spinner's face. "You and Craig eh? Are you like a couple?"

Quinn thought about the previous night. How beautiful everything was. The fight, the kissing, the sex. Everything. She pretty much figured they were couple. She loved him and he loved her. At least she thought…

Quinn turned the corner. "Yeah, I guess we are" She quickly changed the subject. "How are things with Paige?"

"Um. Not so good. I mean, she's going through a lot right now…"

"Oh. Yeah. I understand"

"So, have you talked to Craig lately? I haven't talked to him in a couple of days"

"Yeah. Just this morning actually. Angie, well, she's in the hospital"

"Oh man. Is she okay?"

"I'm not all that sure…"

**Change the subject.**

Quinn kept driving. She could see The Dot in the distance.

"You know, this was really great of you. Thanks"

"Eh. No problem I guess…"

She pulled over to the sidewalk so he could get out.

"Seriously, thanks"

She started messing with him "Seriously, no problem"

"Dude, I can't open your door"

"Spinner, come on…"

A serious expression came across his face. "No, really, I can't open your door"

He's probably messing with me, she thought. Fine I'll just get out of the car and be his little chauffer…

"Okay then. I'll get out, and I'll open the door for you"

"Gee, thanks"

She muttered a swear word under her breath, opened her door and braved the forcing rain.

She started pulling on the handle. It didn't work at all.

She knocked on the window and starting shouting to him

"Here. You open and I'll pull"

"Okay"

Spinner started opening as she started pulling. Before she knew it, she was lying on the ground and the door was wide open.

The ground was wet and the water was sinking through her pajama pants and a little bit on her shirt. She was wondering how the weather could have turned this bad in 6 hour time period.

Spinner was standing over her. "Here let me help you" he said as he offered her his hand.

She gratefully accepted and he pulled her up.

She brushed herself off. "Thanks, Spin"…she smiled. "Mr. Mason"

He playfully pushed her. "Oh thanks…"

I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm flirting. And I'm flirting with Spinner. Craig is 100 times cuter than Spinner, not to mention nice, why am I doing this? So many thoughts were running through her head

"Here, you have something on your back" he said.

"What?"

"Let me get it okay?"

"Fine"

She thought that he was going to go behind her and brush her off but he didn't. Instead he hugged her. It wasn't a friendly hug. It was a "I want you so badly it's hurting me" hug.

She was surprised. I mean, she had her first boyfriend in 9th grade. She wasn't used to guys admitting their love for her.

He started whispering in her ear. "If Craig, you know, ever treats you badly, call me. Or if you ever just want to hang out…"

"Um…" Spinner was asking her to cheat on Craig. She couldn't do that. Craig and she had something special. Spinner was barely a friend, and here he was. She didn't want to tell him off, but she didn't want to give him the wrong idea.

He went on and let her go. "Look, I have to get to work. Thanks for the ride"

Her clothes were totally soaked. He felt nice up against her. He was really muscular and had strong arms. That was something that Craig wasn't. "Yeah, no problem"

She went inside her car and started it up. She started driving towards the hospital closest to Craig's house. Surprisingly, it was the one that her mother worked at. She pulled into the parking lot and ran towards the entrance way. The hospital was pretty big. It was painted tan on the outside. There were tons of shrubbery, and trees outside. They tried to make it seem friendly, but in her opinion, no hospital was friendly.

She went in. There were about 5 people reading magazines, or just dozing off. She looked around and thought Craig would be in here, since this was the emergency room area. She seen the receptionist desk area and walked towards that.

She went up to the receptionist. "May I please know what room Angela Jeremiah is in?"

The receptionist was quite pudgy. Her red curly hair was tied back in a tight bun. She wore a maroon sweater over her scrubs and had an expression on her face that looked like she would rather be anywhere but that office chair.

She had a nasal sounding voice. "Who are you?"

Brother's girlfriend? No, that won't do. Babysitter? Nope… Cousin! Yes, that's great…It'll do.

"Cousin"

"Wait…." The lady said. Her name tag read 'Margaret' "Aren't you Dr. Meredith's daughter?"

"No. My mom died when I was six" This lady looked stupid enough to believe such a lie.

'Margaret' eyed her suspiciously. "Alright. Jeremiah let me see…"

She looked down the list. "Jeremiah, room 612"

"Thanks"

"Yeah, yeah"

Quinn knew her way around the hospital. She spent many days and nights here when she was a kid. When they were building her house, her parents often worked triple shifts into the Midnight hour, not hiring a babysitter. She knew all of the doctors, nurses, janitors and anesthesiologists. She was surprised that they had gotten new receptionists. Especially ones that weren't very good with people.

Quinn made her way down the hall and found room '612'. She peeked through the slit of the door and could see Joey. She figured that Craig was on the other side of the room. The rooms were painted a light shade of blue and had dark navy carpet. Quinn found the colors boring, not comforting.

She slowly opened the door. Joey looked her way.

She went in and slowly closed the door. Angie had a room all to herself. There was a border of teddy bears and toy chests on the walls. She was in the Pediatric emergency unit.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, who are you?"

I forgot. Shoot, he doesn't know me.

"I'm Quinn, Craig's um, girlfriend, it's nice to finally meet you. Seeing how you're his dad and all"

Joey had a tight maroon shirt on and plain pair of jeans. He looked like hadn't got any sleep in the past month. She looked around for Craig, he wasn't there.

He was whispering. "It's nice to finally, um meet you" He sort of stared at her, like she was an alien

She couldn't blame him for giving her a weird look. She was still in her pajamas and a pair of flip flops. Not to mention, she was totally soaked.

He went on. "I don't know where Craig is. He was here a couple of minutes ago…"

Quinn took a look at Angie. She looked to be sleeping. She wanted to help, but she didn't want her mother to see her also…

"Mr. Jeremiah, I have to go. I hope Angie gets better"

"Thanks…"

Joey went back to sitting in his chair, staring at Angie hopefully.

Quinn opened up the door and took off. She was sorry that she didn't stay longer, but she just wanted to see Craig, she was worried about him. She made her way through the hallways. There were tons of doctors and nurses running around the hallways. She tried not to get in the way. She turned the corner towards the reception desk.

She looked towards the entrance way. There was her mother, heading into work.

She didn't know what to do. She went to the sitting area and put a magazine up to her face, praying her mother didn't look her way.

She quickly walked towards the chair farthest from where her mother was standing. She picked out an issue of "People" and put it up towards her face as fast as she could.

Her mother was talking to the receptionist. Quinn peeked down from the magazine and could see that 'Margaret' was pointing towards her.

Oh great, I'm busted once again. This is just grand she thought to herself.

Her mother was in her blue scrubs. She was late, of course.

"Quinn, honey…"

She took the magazine and set it down. "Yes, mother?"

"We're going to talk, after I get home from work…"

"What if I'm not there mom, what if, if…"

"We need to talk…"

"What if I want to go and live with dad?"

Quinn surprised herself. She didn't want to go and live with her father, but if it had meant getting away from all of this madness at home, she was all for it. All though, she had forgotten about Craig momentarily

"Your father? You can't live with him…"

Her mother and she were getting into a fight in the waiting room of a hospital. She wanted to leave, and wondered if her mother was stalking her. Although, she did work here

"Quinn, your father is emotionally stable to handle a child right now…"

"Mom, I'm almost 18…"

"You're acting like you're twelve"

"Mom, just let me go"

"Quinn, listen to me…"

She stood up. She was at least a good 5 inches taller than her mother. Her mom was a tiny woman, but was very blunt and outspoken.

"Mom, I'm not going to listen to you. You weren't there for me and you never will be. I hate you. I truly hate you…"

That wasn't true. She loved her mom, but she was shouting with her in a hospital. She wasn't going to run away. Not this time.

"Quinn, dear, I have to get to work…"

"Work, that's all you _ever_ do"

"Bye Quinn"

Her mom walked off into one of the many hallways in the hospital. If she wasn't at a bar, she was at work.

Quinn thought about going up to the receptionist and giving her a piece of her mind, but decided not to. She walked out of the hospital. The rain had stopped pouring and it was now light drizzle. The parking lot was full of puddles. Her feet were filthy. She couldn't believe that she was wearing flip flops. She finally arrived at her car, hopping over the puddles and seen someone sitting in there.

She walked around her car and peered in the window. It was Craig. He got out.

"Quinn, I am so sorry…"

"Craig, you don't have to be…"

"No I do, I do. First Angie, your mom…"

"Craig…"

"What…"

She looked up at him and caressed his face. It felt scratchy, and smooth.

"You do stupid things when you're in love…"

As the rain started getting heavier, Craig brought Quinn closer to him, and they kissed a long passionate kiss. Everything felt so right when she was with him. Everything was perfect in the world for just that moment. Not remembering what she had just done with Spinner, hours earlier, she continued to kiss Craig, without a care in the world…


	11. Your dirty little secret

Author's note: I really apologize for the lack of updates. But, if you guys review more, I'll update more. Simple as that. The title of my chapter is also named after The All American Reject's song, Dirty Little Secret

Quinn slowly eased out of Craig's arms. She wanted to tell him about Spinner, what had happened earlier. She needed too. She wanted an honest relationship with Craig, and apparently, it had to start here.

"Craig…"

He leaned his back against the black Mercedes. "Yeah…?" He looked directly into her eyes.

"Earlier today…"

The rain was starting to ease up. It wasn't such a downpour, but it was still lightly going down.

She went on. "I was driving towards, well, no where, and I seen Spinner walking. He waved me down, and asked me for a ride…"

"So…I mean, its Spinner…"

Quinn was getting stressed. **Lie, just lie, that's all you have to do, he'll never know…**

"Craig…he kind of, asked me to cheat on you…with him…"

"Spinner? Please…" he said sarcastically

"No…I mean, he brought me really close to him, I didn't really try and pull away…"

He folded his arms and he had a look on his face like he didn't believe her.

"Quinn, Spinner is like, my best friend. He wouldn't do that to me"

"So what you're saying is, is that you don't believe me?"

"That, plus Spinner has Paige. They're totally in love"

Quinn was furious. Why wouldn't he believe her?

"Craig, please just listen to me! Spinner almost kissed me! He asked me to cheat on you. Get it yet?"

He looked up in the sky. "Nah…"

"Craig!"

"You know what, I think I'm going to go and talk to…Joey"

"Craig?"

Quinn looked down at herself. Her she was, standing in the rain, her feet dirty, her clothes soaking wet, she didn't deserve this.

"Yeah…what?"

"I'm going to leave? Okay, leave? Alright?"

"Yeah…whatever"

She walked over to her side of the car. Craig backed up suddenly.

"Wait, where are you going?"

Quinn dropped her arms down to her side.

"Honestly, Craig, I don't have anywhere to go. I thought I could at least talk to you…"

"What do you mean you don't have anywhere to go?"

"Well, would you like me to point it out to you? My mother is never home, my sister is, well, never mind, you're basically my only friend here…"

He ran over towards her. "Quinn, honestly, why are you acting like this?"

"Me?"

That was that. She went inside of her car, locked the doors and pulled out as fast as she could, not looking where Craig was standing.

The tires peeled out as she left the hospital parking lot. She didn't know where to go. She wanted to go to The Dot and tell Spinner a piece of her mind, but decided against it. She was going to go home, change out of her clothes, and hopefully, try to go to sleep. The day was going terrible, and it wasn't going to get any better. Craig wouldn't listen to her, her mom wouldn't listen to her, and her sister surely wasn't going to do it either. Quinn didn't have anyone. She was lost.

She pulled her Mercedes up into the garage. Instead of taking the long pathway, she went through entrance that went through her garage into the kitchen. This door was never locked. Quite often, Quinn used to use the entrance way only when she was late from Charlie's house. That was ages ago

She walked through the kitchen. No one seemed to be home. The house was a mess, with news papers spread all over the table, some had flown onto the floor. She went straight for her bedroom and opened the door. The bed was still un-made but she didn't care. Still in her wet clothes, Quinn plopped on her bed, not caring what Craig was doing at the moment, or what Spinner had done earlier. She pulled the blanket over her head and the blankets warmed her cold body up. She drifted off to sleep with her thoughts in a whirl of winds.

She awoke to the sound of her phone ringing. The terrible sound started ringing in her ears. She looked out the window and it was pitch black outside. She looked over at her alarm. It was 11:00. She had slept for 7 hours. She rolled off her bed, walked towards her dresser and picked up her phone.

"Hello" she said groggily.

"Um, Yeah, Quinn? It's Spinner, can you meet me?"

**Oh geese. I just had a fight with my boyfriend over this, and he wants me to meet him? Please…**

"I don't think so" she wanted to sound like a bitch. Spinner deserved it.

"Please Quinn? I have something really important to tell you"

"I'm sure you do"

"I'm not kidding. Please, will you?"

She didn't want anything to do with him, but he was begging her. She gave in. This was it, and from now on, she was going to ignore her.

"Yeah okay, where?"

"Well, um, how about the corner of Beech wood and Young street?

She lived on Beech Wood Avenue. It couldn't be that far way.

"Fine. Bye"

"I'm sorry"

"Bye Spinner"

She hung up the phone and looked towards her mirror. The sight was terrible. Lines of mascara were running down her face. Her once, bright white t-shirt, now grey. She went towards her closet and picked out a few things. Her dark pink t-shirt of the Rolling Stones and her black pajama pants. It was 11:00 and she was meeting Spinner, she didn't expect much.

Quinn walked over towards her window and climbed down the fence like structure that hung to her house. She walked jumped to the ground and walked around the corner to the garage. Of course, her mother's car wasn't there and she now wondered why she had just climbed out the window. She went and got into her Mercedes, and pulled out of her driveway. She drove straight and then turned a corner until she pulled upon the corner of Beech Wood Avenue and Young street. She pulled the car over and got out. The night was cool and crisp. There was no breeze blowing, nor were the stars out. She walked on the sidewalk until she found Spinner. He waved and scared, nervous looked appeared on his face.

Quinn put her hands in the pockets of her gray sweatshirt she had put on as she climbed out of her window. This was by far the most awkward situation she had ever been through in her teenage life.

"Spinner, what do you want?"

He started shifting his feet around. "Um, I broke up, with Paige. Um, today"

**Please don't say it. Please don't say it was because of me**

"That's nice. I guess I'm happy for you then" she said in a sarcastic tone

She looked up towards the sky. It looked as if it was going to rain again.

She continued on. "Well, I best am going then, bye…"

"Quinn, wait"

"Spinner what?"

"You deserve better. I mean, you like, deserve better than Craig"

"Oh yeah, I deserve you right?"

"Quinn, just hear me out okay? Craig's parents died. He tries to make people feel sorry for him. He got Manny pregnant and he cheated on Ashley. Quinn, he'll do it again"

"What?" Craig hadn't ever told her about the Manny part or Ashley. She wondered why.

Spinner went on. "I'll never do that. I'll never force you into to anything you don't want to do. I'll be your best friend, your boyfriend, and your lover. Quinn, I have the hugest crush on you"

Spinner seemed to be hitting on everything that Quinn wanted and everything that Craig wasn't. Craig wasn't really her best friend. He was more of her lover and he had forced her guiltily into having sex with him. But than again, Craig was charming, smart, cute and friendly. Spinner made her think. She was honestly thinking about breaking up with Craig. Maybe they needed a break? She had read something in _Seventeen_ on how after couples have sex, they break up. Maybe that was the case.

She was surprised at herself. She ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him. She was falling for Spinner Mason. She couldn't believe herself.

He tilted her back a ways. "He'll never have to know. Just end it when you get home…"

And he kissed her. His lips felt smooth pressed against hers. His tongue slipped into her mouth as she wrapped his arms around him once again.

Just as he let go of her, someone had started walking behind them.

"He'll never have to know what?" said a familiar voice

Quinn turned around. It was Craig. He seen the whole thing. Not knowing what to say, Quinn didn't know what to do. The only thing she could think of was drop to the ground, bury her face in her hands, and cry.


	12. Crazy things in love

Author's note: This chapter is a little racy. Please rock, and read and review

"Craig, what are you…"

Spinner chimed in this time. "Craig…"

"Well, I was walking to your house to say sorry for being a jerk earlier…"

Everything that was going through Quinn seemed to be hitting her hard at this moment. Craig, Spinner, her mom, her dad, her sister, her abortion, Charlie, moving. Everything was moving through her so fast. She couldn't believe what she had just done to Craig. She had truly loved him and she was messing everything up with Spinner

Craig started walking past them with a dazed and confused look on his face

And then he stopped

"Well… I didn't mean to interrupt you two"

"Craig, I, am, so, sorry"

"What do you mean you're sorry?" Spinner said loudly

Craig looked like he was sad and depressed. He was going through a lot right now and she had just made him feel worse.

Quinn ran up to Craig and put her arms around him. But this time, he didn't accept the hug.

He pushed her back slightly.

"No. Not this time…"

"But Craig…"

"But what?"

Spinner started walking towards them. For about 10 minutes he just stood there dumfounded.

He went on. "Maybe we should…"

A heavy feeling fell in the pit of Quinn's stomach, she gulped. "Maybe we should…what?"

"Quinn maybe we should see other…"

She squeaked. "People?"

She took a good look at Craig. He had dark, purplish circles underneath of his eyes. His curly hair was starting to look like a wild afro. He didn't look like the Craig she had met at the beginning of the year.

"Maybe that's what we need to do"

"So you want to break up with me?"

"Well…I didn't. But now. Yeah"

"So…we're broken up?"

"I guess"

She looked over at Spinner. He was just sitting on the bench, being Spinner.

He went on.

"Bye Quinn" and he started walking on

She tried to tell him goodbye but she just couldn't. It was too much for her. She went over and sat by Spinner.

"So, you and Craig no more"

She didn't like that feeling. The feeling when stupidity, idiocy, and guilt, all come together in your stomach.

"I'm, I mean, yeah" she surprised herself that she said it. She didn't want to admit it. Craig was her first real love. She didn't want it to end.

Spinner's legs came together and he put his arm around Quinn.

"So, since you and Craigy pooh are done, would you like to my girlfriend?"

**How could he ask me at a time like this?**

Quinn got up away from him and got into her car. She didn't want to deal with him right now. In a matter of a day, she had just ruined her entire relationship with Craig, and built a new one with Spinner. She didn't like the feeling but she didn't want to be living in a state of denial her whole life. She did a U-turn in the street and drove to her house. She pulled into the driveway and shut her car off. She walked around her house to the corner and started climbing up the ladder like structure. The window was still open of course. She rolled onto the window and rolled over and she rolled onto the floor.

Her room was untouched. She was pretty sure her sister was out somewhere, as was her mother. She didn't care. She sat on her bed and looked down at the floor. It was the remote of her stereo. She picked it up, turned it on, and blasted the music

All of a sudden, Coldplay started coming on. It was their song 'Green Eyes'

Quinn walked towards the door, opened the door, and peeked her head out slightly. No one was home. She went back to her closet and found a pair of jeans and put them on. She seen her flip flops in the corner and grabbed those. On her way out of the door, she looked in the mirror. There was still a little bit of mascara residue on her cheeks and she slightly wiped it off with a Kleenex. Her hair was still pretty wet, but it was presentable. She slowly opened the door once again and closed it softly. Quinn didn't have a clue on where she was going, but she didn't want to stay at home. She tiptoed on the brown hardware floors until she reached the opening to porch. She walked outside and then she reached the sidewalk. Quinn was quite used to being outside at night, but she was always with someone, like Craig.

She kept on walking on the sidewalk until she heard the noise of a stereo booming, which was quite strange, seeing how it was a Sunday night. Oh well, she thought. She turned the corner and there were at least 75 cars parked in the front yard. She was at least 30 minutes from her house, but she didn't care. There were lights beaming from within the house. There were hundreds of people inside and outside. She recognized quite a few of them. She seen Ellie's boyfriend, Sean, and she recognized some of the people who went to her old school. Might as well go in, I mean, it can't hurt anything she thought to herself.

Quinn dodged over empty beer cans, and seemed to familiarize the smell of a joint. No one seemed to be guarding the door so she just walked in. She recognized the song playing in the background, which was "I'm a rebel" by Bob Marley. She looked around. The ground was covered with trash, there was a huge keg full of beer, and there seemed to be about 10 people over in the corner smoking weed. Suddenly someone came behind her.

"Hey baby"

Someone's hand suddenly went around her waist. She turned around, it was Charlie.

"Um, um…"

She didn't know what to say. The only reason she had transferred schools was because of him. She hated him and here he was, right in front of her. She wanted to leave, but she was afraid of him

"I missed you, ya know. I thought we had somethin' special"

Just then, Ashley Kerwin was leading Craig by the hand, up the stairs.

Craig stopped when he seen her and let go of her hand.

"Quinn" he tried shouting over the music.

"Who's that? He better not be your boyfriend…"

She smelt beer on his breath.

She shouted loud enough for Craig to hear her, "Don't worry, he's not"

_I bet that's him. I bet that's the guy. What I'm doing here? What did I do?_

Charlie's hands slipped underneath her shirt. "Well, than, can I get you something?"

Craig walked down the stairs leaving Ashley dumfounded.

"Get off of her man!" Craig pushed Charlie

"Listen to the music buddy, let's get together and feel the love…"

Ashley was now by Craig's side. Almost losing her balance, she whispered in Craig's ear.

"Hey…I thought I was going to, I, mean we're going up to the room?"

She was drunk

Charlie aggressively pulled Quinn in front of him, and put his arms around her waist.

She tried to talk. "What room"

"Nothing…"

Ashley interrupted Craig. "Oh yeah, Craig was just taking me up to the room, actually, I don't know who's room it is" She laughed and went on. "But, we were just kissing and then he asked me if we wanted to go upstairs"

Quinn still wanted Craig and Craig still wanted Quinn. They could both tell, but they both were too stubborn to apologize.

She tried to fight Charlie's grip over her, but he was just too strong. He was about 6'3" but he didn't weigh very much. His straight, brown shaggy hair hung down across his face. His eyes were bloodshot, and he like Ashley, was staggering around.

"Come on baby. You don't want to leave me again, do you?" Charlie asked Quinn.

Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" starting coming on. Who ever must be hosting this party must be on some heavy drugs.

Craig answered. "I think she does"

Ashley started kissing Craig's neck. "But you don't want to leave me either Craig?"

Charlie forcefully turned Quinn around and kissed her. She found the strength to push him back.

"Charlie quit it"

He now lay on the ground in a pile of throw up.

"You stupid bitch"

"Fuck you Charlie"

She pushed herself through Craig and Ashley and looked around. Upstairs, yes! No one will know!

She ran upstairs and looked around. There were people smooshed together, wall to wall.

She cut about 10 people for the line in to the bathroom and knocked on the door repeatedly.

Someone finally came and opened up

It looked to be a guy who was 17. He had blonde, curly, shaggy hair and was wearing A Bob Marley Shirt.

"What"

"I need to use the bathroom…"

"No" the guy said in a flirtatious voice

She was going to get in the bathroom no matter what. She had to hide from Craig and Charlie.

"Well, I'm on my period, and I think it's leaking through my pants. You wouldn't know if there are any tampons in there, do you?"

The smile slid off the guys face. He shouted in the bathroom and some girl with a half unbuttoned blouse, came out.

"Um. No, I don't"

"Andrew, come on" the girl said to him

"One sec darling"

He went on. "It's all yours, sweetie"

"Um thanks"

He shot her a disgusted look and continued down the hall. Quinn quickly slammed the door and locked it. The bathroom wasn't half as bad as the downstairs looked, but it was still pretty bad. It was painted a dark navy blue, and had white tile. There were tons of pills spread across the floor and the bathtub seemed to be the only place safe to sit. She looked around. There were a bunch of cigarette papers all over the sink. The bag of marijuana seemed to be faithfully sitting by it. Someone starting pounding on the door.

"Gee, aren't we patient, I'm coming, I'm coming" she said sarcastically

She unlocked it and opened it. It was Craig.

"May I come in?" he asked

"How about…" She wanted to hurt him so bad. Everything was just confusing her.

She went on. "Okay"

A smile came across his face. "Thanks"

People started cheering in the hallway, and some even chanted. "Nice piece of ass"

Quinn went over to the bathtub and sat as Craig locked the door.

"Quinn, I think we have to talk"

"You've just read my mind Craig Manning, congrats"

"First off, what was with you and Spinner?"

**Don't tell him. He doesn't care and he doesn't deserve to know…**

She started pouring her heart out to him. "Honestly, Craig? I don't know, he starting saying all these things, how you cheated on Ashley, how you got Manny pregnant, how you manipulate people to feel bad for you, and then he just kissed me. I didn't do anything. I didn't stop him, and to tell you the truth, I kind of liked it…"

"So you like Spin now?"

"Craig listen to me. I don't know. I really don't know. Ever since Friday night, everything has gone down hill. I mean, I though you loved me, and then when I try to be there for you, you just treated me like dirt. I wanted to get back at you Craig"

"Well, honestly, I don't know either. I mean, I do love you. So much, you don't even know. But then I see Angie in the hospital, it just really shakes me up to see her like that. She's my little sister. The closest thing to my mom I have left…"

She interrupted him. "What do you mean? I thought Joey was your dad and then Spinner tells me your parents died?"

_Tell her. It's time. You have to, he thought to himself._

"Well…" he hesitated. She knew him well enough. He went on. "My mom died okay? And my real dad used to abuse me. Then he died when I was in grade 9. I live with my step-dad, Joey. He was my mom's husband, after she divorced my dad. Angie is my half sister"

She wanted to know about Manny and Ashley too. "Then what does this all have to do with Manny and Ashley?"

He bit his lower lip. "Well, um, I cheated on Ashley on Manny. Manny got pregnant and got an abortion…"

"Yeah?"

"And I was the father…"

Craig sounded so sad talking about this all. She had milked out his whole life story in a matter of five minutes.

He smiled. "But, what is about you that I don't know, Quinn?"

She put her hand on the bathtub. "Well, when I was five, I got into a car accident, my grandmother died when I was 9, when I was 14, I was asked to go to a secondary school for tennis, but I didn't. When I was in grade nine, I went to Earl Haig secondary school, and got into the wrong crowd. I went to this school for Visual Arts; I don't really know how I got in. Elvis is amazing; Pink Floyd the Wall is my favorite album"

"Wow…"

"I know. I'm such a weirdo…"

"No, actually, I was thinking about how much we have in common"

"Craig, I am so sorry about tonight. What I did with Spinner, I mean it…"

"You know Quinn…"

"What?"

"We all do crazy things when we're in love"

Quinn leaned over, Craig tilted his head, and they kissed while Coldplay's 'Green Eyes' blasted over the house, not knowing what was in store for them tomorrow….


	13. Anywhere but here

Author's note: I officially hate my computer. I had a whole chapter wrote, and then my computer crashed. I'm trying to type by memory and I'm going to try to make this one a lot better. And I have to clear up a couple of things. I know I've messed up a lot (grammatically speaking) especially with the abortion/adoption thing, but just assume its abortion, because that's what I mean. I'm also planning on writing another fan fic! It will be so much better than this (less errors, definitely). So, please read and review…

"Craig…" this time she inhaled it deeply. "What do you think…plastic is made of?"

She passed the joint to Craig as she leaned back.

"You know what…I don't know" he answered

It had seemed if had been staring at them both, the bag of Marijuana that is. Both of them had thought about the consequences, but decided to do it anyways. It took them both about three tries to roll one up, but they had done it. Now both of them were out-their-mind's-stoned…

"You know what, I would get in so much trouble if my mom ever seen me like this…"

"You would? Joey would probably send me off somewhere. Probably to live with Caitlin…or Tessa Campbenelli"

Quinn didn't have a clue who Tessa Campbenelli was, but she started laughing anyway

Slowly, the joint started fading. Both of them were disappointed. She crossed her arms and leaned back over the bathtub. She didn't realize that there wasn't a wall and she fell right in, knocking her head against the wall.

Craig jumped up suddenly. "Oh my god, Quinn are you, alright?"

Of course she was fine, but her reflexes were so slow that she didn't realize it until after she had let out an ear ringing scream.

"Mmm, Craig, your eyes are red"

He spoke back defensively. "Well, so are yours"

"I know"

"How do you know?"

"I want to go to a Photo booth Craig"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about the song, you know, Photo booth, Death Cab?"

"Oh. Okay. But where?"

"The mall of course, silly"

"Okay"

"Can you help me up, dearest Craig?"

The smoke was clearing out of the room. Slowly, both of them were coming back to reality. After all, it had been the first time they had gotten high. They didn't know what to expect.

He helped her up and now they were both standing.

"This is going to be fun, walking around Toronto in the wee hours of the night" she said excitedly

"I know. How much cash do you have?"

She took out the change in her pockets. She only had a dollar. "A dollar. You?"

Craig dug into his pockets and felt around. "I only have 10 bucks"

"Well, we could walk to my house and drive my car to the mall or something?"

"Okay. But where is your house from here?"

"About a half an hour away, I think?"

"Okay"

Quinn didn't know why she had suggested something so random like this. She thought it would be fun. She was probably going to stay home tomorrow, because it had to be at least 1 in the morning. They were both guaranteed a good time, because they were both which each other.

Both of them left the bathroom at the same time. When they exited, people started clapping and cheering. Craig bowed. She took a look around. There weren't as many people crowding the halls, but the noise was chaotic. She grabbed a hold of Craig's hand and led them through a series of people. Quinn almost tripped over a couple that looked to be rounding 1st base. She seen the stairs and dragged Craig towards that way, until someone stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Instantly, she knew who it was. It was Charlie

"Not this again"

Craig stepped in. He got right into his face. "Look man, she doesn't like you"

She could smell alcohol on his breath, even though she standing 2 feet away from him.

Charlie pushed him. "What is your problem faggot music boy?"

Quinn started going down the stairs but Charlie angrily pushed her against the wall. Everything went blank. She heard the faint sounds of sirens in the background.

She opened her eyes. Her head was pounding, and there were millions of people talking.

"Craig? Where are you?"

Suddenly, someone gracefully walked over towards her. She had golden brown skin, relaxed straight hair and her name tag read "Julia"

"I don't know what you're talking about, honey"

Her voice was very soothing. "What am I doing here?"

"Well, according to your file…" Julia picked it up and went on. "You have been in a coma for about 10 days"

"No way, then what's the date today?"

"October 15th"

"No way"

"Yes, honey"

"My birthday. I was going to have a big party, lots of people, lots of drugs, lots of beer…" Quinn closed her eyes and started drifting off

"Well, so much for that, huh?" Julia answered off in a distance.

"Mom, what are you going to do with her?"

"Well, according to those gentlemen that were at the party, they were smoking Marijuana and drinking alcohol"

"God, what a stupid idiot. How could she do that? First she gets raped, then pregnant, gets an abortion, does drugs and now she's in a coma. What a genius"

"All of the boys that she is with are always up to something bad…"

"Well, mom, I heard around school that Craig got some slut pregnant, and she had an abortion. He's into classic rock, and he has a band…"

"That explains it. Every kid thinks they have to do drugs? Why Quinn? She was so good when she was with Charlie. I mean, I found him in her bed. I should have stopped there. I mean, I imagine if he was in her bed, then she is sexually active with this Craig Manning"

"What are you going to do mom?"

Meredith Jacobson started tapping her fingers on the chair next to Quinn's bed.

"I think having her live with her father for the rest of this year would be a good idea"

"Yeah mom, that's a good idea"


	14. Promise rings and Hospital Beds

Author's note: Please read and review. I would also like to note that I posted the previous chapter before the episode where Paige and Alex are smoking pot came out. Thank you

Quinn sat up on the hospital bed. Her mother had brought her blankets from home. She was in her pajamas and Craig hadn't stopped by once. That's all that she had wanted. Just for once, to see him. For everything to be okay

_Everything _had passed by in such a blur. Slowly, piece by piece, memories were coming back. She remembered the party, the formal, the beach, and Degrassi. She hadn't forgotten Craig. How could she?

"Julia?"

Julia, Quinn's nurse had turned around. These past few weeks, she was her only confident. Ellie had stopped by only once, but she understood.

"Yes dear?"

"Has Craig stopped by today?"

"No, not yet dear…"

"Maybe I should call him, but then Angie. He's probably with her. She is his sister…"

"That's probably it"

She started coiling the blankets nervously. She turned her head towards the mirror. Her blonde hair was in a frizzy mess. The doctor had cleaned off her running makeup.

"My mom hasn't stopped by yet, has she?"

"I think she's talking with some lawyers, hon"

"Please don't tell me…"

Julia sat down on the stool next to her bed. "Yep, I think…"

"God, I just want him to get out of my life completely. That's why I went to Degrassi. To get away from it all…and now, he's back again…"

"You'll get through it…I know you can"

Quinn started kicking her feet back and forth. "I just want it back. I want this whole mess to go away"

Suddenly someone started walking past the room. Quickly, the person ran back up, it was Craig.

"Who are you?" Julia asked Craig as he slowly walked into the room

"Umm…" Craig was shifting around nervously. He went on. "Craig, Manning?"

"Ohhhhh. I see. Well, Quinn, I think I'll leave you two alone…"

"Okay, thanks Julia…"

Julia exited out into the chaotic hallway. Craig walked over to her towards her bed.

"Joey grounded me for two months…"

"Really, my mother's thinking about sending me off to live with my Dad in the states…"

"Won't you have to get a visa, or citizenship, or whatever?" He was staring down at his feet. His hair was a little bit shorter, but still poofy. She loved his hair this way. He had dark circles underneath his eyes, and they were especially standing out in the lighting. The hospital décor wasn't very inviting. Not at all…

"Craig…"

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

He jumped up on her bed right next to her. He too, started kicking his feet.

"Everything…"

Why can't everything just get better again? Why, god? She thought to herself…

Craig's face lit up with a smile. He dug into his pocket and brought what looked to be what a ring case.

"I didn't forget your birthday, that would make me a bad boyfriend"

He opened it up and motioned for her to take it out.

"It's a ring, well, a promise ring. I'm not making you promise anything, but it's just something…I mean. These past few weeks have been terrible for you. And I figured that this might cheer you up…"

She was so surprised. "Wow…"

"Let me know if it fits okay?"

"Mmhmm…"

She slowly placed the ring and its case on her side table

**This was a nice surprise…**

"So, I'm guessing your mom hates me?"

"Pretty much…yeah"

"The cops wanted me to talk to them. Is your mom suing Charlie?"

"I'm not sure. I'm asleep or somewhere else when my mom is around…"

"Are you really, really going to go and live in the states?"

"I hope not. I hate my dad…"

"Don't say that…"

Quinn decided to be quiet. Whatever, Craig was in one of his moods.

"Want me to talk to your mom?"

"Craig!" she said disgustedly

"What?"

"Don't do that!"

"Okay, okay. It was just an idea…"

"Well, keep your ideas to yourself…"

"Fine then…"

"Okay…"

Quinn jumped off of the bed. She started walking around.

"Quinn…"

"Yes, my dearest Craig Manning?"

"I'm sorry"

"Wow, aren't we cheerful today…"

"What?"

"How's Angie?"

"She's better. Actually, she's at home now. I've been spending a lot of time with her and…"

"And who?"

"Joey?"

"Mmkay"

Things weren't going so good. She had hoped Craig had come days earlier and he didn't. Now he was acting like this?

Craig hand's were buried in his pockets

"If you're mad at me because I didn't come earlier, I'm sorry okay?"

"No, I have just spent 2/4 of the month of the October in a hospital bed. There's no reason to apologize…"

"You know, at school, the other day, I was looking around, and I seen that they had tennis team sign ups?"

A large smile spread across her face. Craig was just full of surprises today…

"No way!"

"Seriously" Craig had this accomplished, cocky grin on his face.

"Well, that's great and all, but too bad I don't play anymore…"

"Quinn!"

"Craig, why did you come and visit me if you're being like this?"

"Being like what?"

"I have a monster head ache, okay; I don't want to fight…"

"Me either. Things have been so hectic lately…"

Quinn went over to the bed and got up again.

"I'm sorry"

"Me too…"

Craig lightly put his hand over her knee. His hands were soft, but he had a slight grip

"I love you in Pajamas"

"I love your hair…"

"I love you…"

"I love you too"

Soon, they started kissing, heavily. Quinn opened her eyes for a split second and seen Julia out of the corner of her eye. Everything slowly, was going back to normal with Craig.

His lips were so soft, and his touch was mesmerizing. For just 20 minutes, everything was in its place.

"QUINN LEANNE JACOBSON!"

Oh shit. Please don't let it be her. Not my mom, not now…

Quinn slowly let go of Craig.

"What is _he _doing here?"

"Craig came to visit me, mom"

"Really, I thought you had a headache?"

"I will introduce you two…"

"I'm pretty sure we've already met"

"Mom, Craig. Craig, Mom"

Craig got off of the bed and waved a mere hello to Meredith Jacobson.

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Jacobson"

"The pleasure is all yours" Her mother said sarcastically

"Please tell this little boy, that I need to speak to you in_ private_"

Quinn didn't care that her mom was standing right in front of them. She wrapped her arms around Craig and hugged him, a romantic, long, hug.

"I think that's enough Quinn"

She slowly brought her arms down his. He kissed her on the cheek and waved goodbye towards her mother. He exited through the door.

"See, he's not that bad mom"

Meredith ignored her daughter. "Quinn! I have some good news!"

She coiled up her hair. "Oh, whatever could it be mom?"

"I just got done speaking to your father about your, situation and what not. He says that he can take you in anytime. You just have to visit, and get an 8th month Visa, since that's how long you'll be staying there…"

"Staying where?"

"You're moving in with your father, dear. I can't handle you anymore, maybe he can now…"

"What do you mean? I didn't think you were serious…"

"Well, I am. It's just 8 months, and if your attitude improves, you can move back in with Marie and me"

"What do you mean?"

This was way over head. Everything had seemed to be sliding in and out her head. The only thing she caught onto to was "Move in with your father"

"You're staying with him. You have two weeks left at Degrassi, which is when the semester ends, and you're out of here. You're gone"

"But mom" she said weakly.

"But what. You're not safe here. No buts, the plane ticket is already bought and you can't do anything. Sorry Quinn, but you can't put your life in jeopardy like that"

"Mom!"

"Yes dear?"

"How, why, did you?"

"Because. You've changed"

Quinn just stood there, swallowed her pride, and walked out of her hospital room. Slowly, steadily and solemnly.


	15. Wish you were here

Author's note: I won't update again unless I get three reviews. Just review, it's not that hard. I'm estimating that there are probably going to be about 5-6 more chapters of this, so just hang out. There's still more in store ….. 

"I'll write you, I promise"

"But…"

"8 months won't be _that_ long"

"Yes they will…"

There was a slight breeze on the chilly November day. Quinn stood outside of the airport, saying goodbye to Craig for the next eight months.

The sun was shining through the big, puffy clouds. The past two weeks had been a total nightmare for her. Quinn spent most of the time with Craig. Either they had been hanging out in his garage playing the drums or guitar, or some place else, getting intimate.

His hand caressed her face. "I'm not going to be able to make through anything with out you here…"

"You aren't? You don't have to go and live with Mr. Cheerful and your evil Latina stepmother, Camarilla…"

"You're racist?" Craig said playfully

"I don't like George Dubya" Quinn whined

"The world, doesn't like him. He's a monster"

Tears started falling down her rosy cheeks. She placed her body up against Craig's

His chin was lightly placed on top of her head.

"Don't cry, everything will be fine…"

"Call me, every night okay?"

"I promise, I'll write, call, e-mail. Promise me when you visit your mom to come and see me?"

Quinn and her mother agreed that she could visit once a month on a weekend. Quinn also got the holidays with her mom, but it didn't matter. She was now enrolled in John F. Kennedy High school in Palm Springs California. Her last days at Degrassi weren't all that special. Ellie promised they would stay in touch. Marco promised he would call. Her mom had basically forgotten her birthday, because there wasn't anything waiting for her when she got home. Julia had her had exchange e-mails so they could stay in touch. Everything was slowly falling apart. Quinn was dying inside and no one knew it.

"Promise me I can spend the night?" she said hopefully.

He grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers

"I'll see what I can do…"

Quinn's backpack was falling off of her shoulders and plopped to the hard cement.

"You still have my mix CD that I made for you right?"

Quinn gulped. Craig had given her a CD of all of her favorite songs on her last day of school. It had everything from The Beatles, Death Cab's Photobooth, to Dashboard Confessional. All of her favorites. She listened to it over, and over, and over.

"Yeah…"

**I can't leave him…**

"Craig…" she went on

"Mhmm?" Craig's hands were rubbing up and down against her back.

"You're my everything…" she merely could say that. Ever since the first day of school, she was in love. They both were. They loved each other.

"I love you. You are everything to me…"

**Two teenagers in love…**

The intercom came over and announced that Quinn's flight was now boarding. She didn't want to leave. Granted, she couldn't stand her mother, but she loved Craig, and she loved Canada. She was happy that her mother at least dropped her off a half an hour early to say goodbye to him. At least she did that

"I don't want go" she hugged him even tighter.

"I don't want you to go either"

"8 months…so long…"

"You'll be back before you know it. You'll be with me, and at Degrassi, and hanging out with everyone. I promise"

"I hope so…"

She slowly let go of him. This was something that she had to do. She had to be on her best behavior or else she couldn't come back.

They kissed a long, romantic kiss. And she hugged him quickly. If she did it for to long, she wouldn't be able to leave.

"I love you Quinn"

She ran her hands through his hair. His curly, dirty, messy hair.

"I love…" tears were filling up in her eye lids "You too" she continued

She started walking towards the entrance of the airport doors, and looked back once more. Craig's hands were in the pockets of his jeans and he was walking back slowly.

She wanted to scream it out so bad. She wanted to die. This was her everything. She picked up her bag and entered the airport. She took one look outside the window and seen Craig sitting on a bench, waiting for the bus. There were tons of people rushing around everywhere. There were children with their parents. The elderly. Quinn went up to the hallway, leading to her flight.

She gave the attendant her ticket and she checked it in. She looked to be in her mid twenties, blonde hair, and nervously fidgeted around.

"You're all set, for, 1st class?"

"Yes, M'am"

"All righty, feel free to head right in"

"Thanks"

Quinn already checked her ticket in with the clerks earlier, with her mother, while dropping off her luggage. She packed her clothes, her stereo, her CD's, her books, and her many pictures that she and Craig took of each other in the past two weeks. The clothes and the stereo were in her suitcase, the CD's books, and the pictures, were in her bag that she was carrying.

She walked on to plane, not expecting anything. She had ridden a plane many times before, so this was no challenge to her. She was just hoping that she wouldn't be stuck sitting next to someone who would sleep on her arm.

The first class section was decorated in tan leather. The floors were a plush carpet. It was chic, and it was classy.

Quinn took a look on her ticket and read where she was supposed to sit. She walked down the aisle and took a seat.

She put her bag on the ground and took out her CD player. She started playing Craig's mix tape until she seen someone sit down next to her.

He was about 6'3" with a muscular build. He had blonde shaggy hair and was wearing and Abercrombie Polo, and Cargo shorts

He tapped Quinn on the shoulders.

"Do you have a band-aid, cause, I think I just fell for you"

Quinn's cheeks started warming up and she turned her shoulder, faced the window, and started smiling.


	16. Welcome to Hell

Author's Note: You guys are being kick ass with the reviews! 4 reviews for the next chapter to be posted. Sorry this chapter is crappy. They'll get better. Also, I'm guessing there will be a ton more chapters, I'm just estimating, but it changes day to day for me. Lol! Anyways, please read and review!

"What do you mean a band aid?" She shifted around and started talking to him. She found out that his name, which was Cody Giles. How old he was (18) and where he was going, which was to Seattle Washington. He was going to college in Canada, and Seattle was his hometown.

"Hmm, never mind" he replied back to her

"So, drummer girl, are you single?" He had a booming voice. Testosterone filled, for sure

Quinn started twisting her hair into a coil. "No. Craig. I mean, Craig is my boyfriend. I love him. He loves me. I just hope this long distance thing works out…"

"Hmm, that's what they all say…" he had this sly grin that gave Quinn some weird vibes.

"So, why did you want to go to college all the way in Toronto?" she said with a sigh.

"Well, actually, Toronto has always been one of my interests, actually. I love the fresh air, the bands, and especially the Independent film festival"

"Toronto is nice. I miss it already"

"Oh yeah. And the chicks. Like you"

"You don't even know me"

A little voice in the back of her head kept going on. "You know what happened last time…"

"That's true. But I can already tell by your personality that you have a loving soul and a beautiful personality"

"Yup and that's what Craig says too"

That wasn't true. Well, sort of. Craig was Craig. And she loved him that way.

"If you're hitting on me, don't even think about it…" he said...

"Me? Hitting on you? Please" she said in sarcastic tone.

"Yeah, well, I'm sort of seeing someone"

"Really. Me too"

She figured that he was just making this all up. Which, she didn't know it, but he was.

"Well, I have an English project do, before I get home so…"

Cody took something out of his bag and started writing

"Yeah…"

Quinn dug into her bag and took out her CD player. The first song that came on was "Hands down" by Dashboard Confessional.

She turned it up so loud so she couldn't hear herself think. The plane was well up into the sky. It was beautiful. In a strange way, Quinn could see herself with Craig, frolicking in the clouds. Maybe it was some strange day dream, but she didn't feel alone anymore. Craig was her 'one' and somehow she knew that. She could picture herself getting married to him, having children with him, and growing old with him. It didn't matter about statistics, their relationship could survive. Maybe living with her dad was going to be a life changing experience. She could go anywhere she wanted and didn't have to be back at a specific time. That didn't matter. Craig mattered, and she knew that. Quinn drifted off in web, tangled in her thoughts.

_Back in Toronto…_

"_Craig, so she's gone…what are you going to do man?"_

"_I don't know"_

_Craig was sitting in the Dot, having a conversation with Jimmy. He was sulking about Quinn leaving. He was lost, confused and didn't know what to do…_

"_Have you guys, ya know, ever done 'It'?" Jimmy asked with a sly grin_

_Craig didn't know what to say. They had basically spent the last two weeks doing 'it'_

"_Um yeah, tons of times…"_

"_You haven't had you?"_

"_Jimmy, of course we have. I mean, like the whole last two weeks. Every night"_

"_Do you love her?"_

_Craig sipped his vanilla cappuccino. "Well, yeah. I do"_

"_Do you miss her?"_

"_Of course. Why wouldn't I?"_

"_Are you depressed about it?"_

"_Well…yeah. I am. Why are you asking this?"_

"_Well, as your friend, I think you should buy a ticket, go there, and surprise her"_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_You know what. If you love her, you can't let her go"_

"_What?"_

"_Only as your friend man, only as your friend…"_

_Craig took another sip of his cappuccino, and thought about Quinn._

Back on the plane…

Quinn awoke to feeling of someone poking her. It was Cody.

"What do you want?" she said as she was rubbing her eyes.

"I want you"

"Then why did you wake me up, let me go back to sleep"

He ruffled through his shaggy hair. "Do you know who the first prime minister of Canada was?"

"Didn't you learn that in grade four, god, leave me alone…" she said as she curled up.

"You may of, but I'm not from Canada…"

"Well, that's not problem, now is it" she said with a yawn

"Whatever. You know, you're a real bitch"

"And you know, there are two four year olds sitting behind us"

"Yeah. Okay"

Quinn drifted off once again…

"You're flight is now over, please remember to pick up after yourselves. Thank you for riding with International. Have a nice" the cheery voice said as it came over the intercom

Quinn awoke slowly. The flight was now over. Her mom said that her dad was supposed to pick her up. She figured that she would have to wait at least an hour for him to pick her up. Whatever she thought.

She walked down the stairs from the plane. The entrance way to the airport was about 100 feet away. The air was starting to feel heavy on her, like it was enclosing on her body. The humidity levels were devastating. The sun was shining through the creases of clouds. It smelled like diesel fuels and smog. So much different than home…

Quinn entered the airport. There were so many different people around here. They sounded different, and had a weird accent. She was getting so many weird looks walking through the airport.

Reluctantly, she found, the luggage center. Her bag, of course on her back, she picked up her suitcase. It was very bohemian/hippy, and she loved it. She had found it at one of Toronto's many vintage shop's two years ago.

The airport was decorated poorly. The floors were a hard, gray tile and the walls a milky white. There were huge unattractive windows on the main floor. And Americans wondered why they got such a bad reputation, she thought.

Quinn decided that it was best if that she went out the west exit instead of the north. The north was swarmed with tons of people who didn't look all that friendly. She walked bravely towards the door. She seen Cody and gladly passed him with out exchanging words. Someone passed her who she could have sworn was Craig, but that was my imagination, she thought.

She exited the doors, and once again entered the steamy smog. She stood upon her tippy-toes, trying to locate her father, but she couldn't see him. Someone stood right next and just started talking to themselves. She ignored her. So far, her impression of the states wasn't that entirely great, first the air, the temperatures, and now the people. Don't judge, they're all not like that.

"Quinn! Quinn! Over here! Quinn!" she heard her father's voice coming from somewhere, but she couldn't see him. She had seen someone waving their hands in the front of the crowd. She figured that was him.

She maneuvered her way the crowd and met up with her father. There was Alysia, standing next to him, their car parked on the sidewalk.

"Welcome to California hon!" her father said a little too excitedly as he hugged her from the side.

"It's more like welcome to hell" She meant that with all of heart. She had said with an attitude and she was glad

Welcome to hell Quinn Jacobson, Welcome to hell…


	17. I'm never coming back

Quinn sat on her new bed, her new "small" bed to be exact. The sheets were pale cotton. She held one up to her nose and it smelled of newly washed linen. The room had blue hibiscus flower wall paper. There was a "Welcome Quinn" sign strung up above the mirror on the dresser. To the left there was a window open, and the blue curtains were flowing freely. She rocked her feet back and forth. The bed was full sized, and two pillows sat at the front of the bed. She inhaled deeply and smelt food. Instantly, her stomach rumbled.

Something churned in her stomach, a bad, sick feeling.

**But was it?**

She got up and figured she might as well unpack. I'm going to be here a while anyways, she thought to herself. She grabbed her bag and instantly, the picture of her Craig had fallen out. Tears starting swelling up in her eyes. She couldn't take not seeing him. She couldn't do this anymore. She needed to get out of here.

"Hey dad" she called from her bedroom as she put on her flip flops.

"What do you want" he groaned from the living room

"I'm going for a walk, okay"

"Whatever"

"Bastard" she muttered

Quinn grabbed her "Toronto, Canada" sweatshirt and headed towards the door. She hated the house. There was terrible white carpeting all through the house, but she had to give Alysia credit. She was an awesome decorator. The wallpaper was an amazing choice, of tropical hibiscus flowers. There were pictures of Alysia and her dad all over the place. Apparently, they must have done some traveling after he moved out.

She quickly slammed the door behind her and jumped off of the front steps. There was a slight breeze stammering through the air. The grass was especially green, and the yard wasn't that large. It was about 9:00 at night, and figured, well hey, in Toronto, I can, so why not here?

**Why not right? Walking the streets is a smart thing to do at night…right?**

She ran on to the sidewalk. Since the town was on a beach, that's where she was going to go. Hopefully, meet someone who went to her school.

The sun starting going down slowly, Quinn went inside a convenience store and asked where the nearest beach was. The clerk told her that it was only three blocks away, and about a five minute walk from here.

Quinn starting walking towards the downtown area. The town was small, and quaint. The warm breeze starting picking up. There was a small surf shack and a couple other "tourist attraction" stores

She started looking forward and she seen the beach in the distance. A couple of kids who looked to be 11 were walking the streets. Families with small children were at the ice cream place, getting ice cream. She seen a movie theater, and someone walked by and snickered "eh" when she passed them.

She smelled the salty ocean. It was a gorgeous site to see and she instantly thought of Craig. She wanted him here so badly. She missed him something fierce and it was tearing up her heart.

Her stomach started churning again. She felt sick and dizzy. She ran towards the garbage can and threw up.

"I can't be…? Can I?"

Something instantly came into her head. She couldn't remember if Craig had used a condom or not the last time they had sex, which was the night before she had left. Of course, in the two week time period, they had done "it" about seven times. She wanted to prove to him that she loved him. She hadn't ever asked if he was using protection or not, maybe she should of. But of course, he had gotten many pregnant. He would be responsible enough to use a condom…right?

She felt sick of the thought of being pregnant. She needed to talk to her mom. She needed to talk to Craig. She started walking towards her dad's house. She was going to try and convince him that this weekend had to be the weekend she flew back home.

Someone started walking next to her. He was about 5'9", had dirty, dirty, dirty, blonde hair that was short, and started talking to her.

"Hey" he said

"Hi"

"You look like you have a problem"

"I do. I guess…"

"I have lots of problems too"

"That's nice"

Quinn started walking up towards her house. She had walked for about 10 minutes, and that one kid just kind of stayed back. The strangest thing she ever encountered…

She hurried up the steps and went inside the house.

She went into the living room where her dad was sitting watching TV.

"Hey dad?"

"What do you want now…?"

"I'm not feeling too well, and I forgot some stuff in Toronto, and I was just wondering, could I spend the weekend at moms?"

"If you pay for it" he said

She jumped up. But then remembered. She put her hand on her stomach. "Oh thanks dad"

"Whatever leave me alone"

Quinn decided that she was going to Toronto now. She had the money and it cost about $600 dollars in the U.S. and that was exactly what she had. She grabbed her back pack, grabbed her money, and went downstairs.

"Hey dad, I'm going to the beach, okay?"

"Whatever"

"Bye dad"

"Whatever"

"I'm going to Toronto"

"Whatever"

"See ya"

"Whatever"

She couldn't get into trouble now. She had said the truth. She really was going to Toronto. She was going to see the love of her life.

**Or possibly, could her life get ruined…?**


	18. Anything for you, sweetheart

Author's note: WARNING –this chapter. Super racy. Sexual Content. Rated M, so close your eyes if you don't want to read…

"You are now in Toronto, please unbuckle your seat belts and have a nice day"

Quinn groaned. She had taken the red eye to Toronto. She hadn't slept for 24 hours and it was starting to take a toll on her. She inhaled the clean, fresh Canadian air. She stepped into the aisle of the plane. She was tapping her foot back and forth, with anticipation. She couldn't wait to see Craig. The line was moving slowly and she was tempted to tell the person in front of her to hurry the hell up. Finally, she was stepping off of the plane. No money left, but cell phone, in pocket.

She dialed Craig's number.

"Hello. Jer-em-iah residence!" Craig said cheerfully

"Craig! Oh my god! I've missed you so…"

He interrupted her. "Quinn!"

"I'm home!"

"You're what?"

"I'm home! In Toronto. Canada!"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously!"

"Oh my god. Where are you staying?"

She hadn't thought about that. She was hoping that Craig could help pull something off…

"I don't know!" she said excitedly

"What airport are you at?"

"Same one as last time"

"Wait twenty minutes. I'll be there"

"Love you"

"Love you more"

She flipped her phone and put it her pocket. She was sure she looked like a mess. She was in a pair of shorts, flip-flops, and her red and black, "Toronto Canada" sweatshirt. And quite frankly, she was cold.

She made her way inside the airport and all, back pack in hand. She found a bench and sat down. The airport was so busy with all of the hustle and bustle. She kept looking in every direction for Craig. She wanted to be with him so bad. She wanted to smell him, touch him, hug him, kiss him and do anything and everything possible that wasn't harmful to him.

"Quinn!"

She snapped back to reality. "Craig!"  
She jumped up and he ran towards her. He had gotten his haircut. It was still puffy. She had only seen him yesterday, so there wasn't much of a change.

He picked her up and squeezed her tightly. "What are you doing here? I mean, yeah, I want you here of course…"

**Tell him. TELL HIM!**

"My dad let me off to see my mom this weekend. But, since he doesn't care about me or where I am, I took my money and bought myself a plane ticket!" she said cheerfully

"Gosh. Wow. Well um, let me take your stuff. Joey let me borrow his car"

"Great. Let's go somewhere"

They started walking out of the airport.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Your house. I need a bed. I need sleep"

It was only 10:00 in the morning. Craig had been up helping Angie. She was getting better, slowly.

"Joey isn't really home, and Ang is sleeping so…"

Quinn had a flashback to the last time she was pregnant. When she found out, she was with her best friend Joy at Planned Parenthood. Her stomach, then, also churning up and down.

"Sounds nice"

"What about your house" she could see Joey's car up ahead

"I don't. I can't." She couldn't go back home. It was too painful.

"Maybe you could emancipate yourself or something" Craig said, trying to be helpful.

"Now that would not be a bad idea" she thought it through. It truly wasn't. Her mom was well off enough that she could take some of her mom's money. No, not a bad idea at all. Plus, she could have Craig over anytime she wanted.

He grabbed her hand and started caressing her thumb. She loved the way he did that. She loved everything about him.

She went to the side of the car and opened up the door. She got in a put her seatbelt on.

Craig started the car and pulled out of the airport parking lot.

He was turning the radio on a classic rock station and looking nervously at Quinn. He wanted to say it. He was thinking about it all last night. He could emancipate himself from Joey, of course who would understand, and Quinn could emancipate herself from her mom. They could get married, and they could live together. It was a brilliant idea. And he loved it.

They pulled up o the curb of Craig's house. Quinn was enjoying the day, and she wanted it to last forever. He shut the car off, opened his door, ran over to the other side, and opened the door for Quinn.

She smiled at him. "Thanks"

"Anything for you"

He kissed her lightly on the lips. She pulled away slowly and put her backpack on her back. Craig walked up to the steps and opened the door for Quinn. She set her bag down as HE slowly closed the door.

"How's Angie?"

"She's getting better" he said, putting his jacket on the coat rack

She took a look around. Everything seemed familiar, in a nice sense.

"You wanna go up to my room and lay down?"

"Yeah, that sounds, nice"

Craig led her up the stairs to his room. This was the first time she had ever been here. There were posters of classic rock bands. His guitar lay in the corner. The bed was about full sized, and it had a black comforter

She plopped down and pulled the pillow close to her cheek. It smelled like Axe cologne and suave shampoo. It smelled like Craig.

He lie down beside her and put his arm underneath her neck.

"I love you" he crawled on top of her

"Craig…"

"Yeah?"

He started kissing her. He put his hand underneath her shirt.

"I think…"

"What could you" he kissed her again "Possibly think"

"Did you use a condom last time we, you know…did _it_"

"Why?" He slowly took off her sweatshirt, then next, her bra. She was now sitting topless, in Craig's bed.

"Because…"

"Well, I think so…"

**She couldn't mention that she thought she was pregnant. He would go ballistic**

He took off his shirt as fast as he could. He wanted to have sex with her, it was pretty obvious. She felt obligated if she didn't. He was giving her a place to stay, and he came and picked her up from the airport. And she did love him.

"Do you think you're pregnant or something?"

She grabbed his blanket and wrapped it around her chest. What if Joey came home? What if Angie walked in on them?

He got up from on top of her.

"What's wrong? You know, you don't have to be like in front of me…"

"Craig…"

"It won't be long. I promise. Plus my door, it has a lock…"

Quinn sighed. She felt relieved.

She lay back down and Craig got on top of her again.

"Are you sure you want to? I don't want to pressure you or anything…"

**Pressure! Ha!**

"Fine"

She loved him. That was that.

He started kissing her. She kissed him back. His curly hair was tickling her nose. She couldn't believe that they had gotten this close, this fast. Oh well, she thought. It's love right?

**Right**

He gave her a feeling like no other. She wanted to be with him the rest of her life. She loved the passion and the romanticism they had towards each other. If she could, she would give him her world.

"Quinn…" he started breathing heavily

"Yeah?"

"You're not pregnant, are you?"

"Not that I know of…"

**I hope**

Blood starting rushing to her cheeks, and it felt so good. She loved the fact that it was so wrong what they were doing, but so right at the same time. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth gently. He pressed his lips harder against hers.

His body felt heavy on top of her. He looked her in the eyes, and she smiled at him. His hazel eyes were beautiful, and she loved the way his lip always curled up when he smiled back. She loved everything about him. He was perfect.

He kept pushing. "Quinn?"

"Yeah?"

He started sighing heavily. And he stopped. He rolled over laid down next to her.

"Are you okay, like emotionally?"

She got up and pulled the covers over her chest. Craig grabbed his shirt and handed towards him. She nodded thankfully.

"Would you be?"

**Quinn was lost. She needed to get away from it all.**

**Maybe death wasn't such a bad thing. Maybe, it was the only way out…**


	19. Photograph

Author's note: Eh. Sad Chapter. Please read and review…

"What do you mean?"

"Craig I don't know what I mean"

"I'm always here for you and you know that, right?"

"Of course"

Quinn pulled her bra off of Craig's floor and put it on. She didn't care if he was watching; he had seen her enough times anyway

She pulled up her underwear, and pulled over Craig's shirt. She walked around his dresser and seen something that caught her eye. It was weed.

She held up the bag and directed towards him. "What's this?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing. It was just so amazing last time we, you know, smoked some together. I got it yesterday. I was sad, and depressed. Jimmy and I…"

"Jimmy?"

"Well, my life is in ruins anyway, so why not"

Craig, still in his boxer went up and stood next to her. "Yeah, why not"

"Joey and Angie aren't home are they?"

"No, and I have a window right over there. He'll never know"

He went and down on the bed and she plopped on his lap. "So, roll it"

"I will" he playfully pushed her over and got on top of her again. He started kissing her again, until they were heavily making out.

"Why'd you buy it Craig?"

"I missed you"

"Please. Let's just escape. And, pot. Great escape."

"Are we stoners?"

"I don't think so"

Quinn seen Joey pulling up

"Oh shit, Craig, I have to go"

"Why?"

"Look who's pulling up"

"Damn him"

She pulled on her shorts and grabbed her sweatshirt. Craig nodded for her to keep the shirt. She climbed down the fencing on the side of his house.

Quinn decided to take a long walk. She thought hard about her life. She came to the conclusion, that it was no longer worth it. Her boyfriend was becoming a stoner, and only wanting her for sex. Her family didn't love her, and she had forgotten about her friends, and they had forgotten about her. She walked towards the beach in Toronto. There was a 200 foot high bridge that sounded quite nicely to her. This would be it, and this would be the end. She was going to go through with it, because nothing mattered anymore. She was a nothing, who was pregnant for the second time. This was her second chance, and she had ruined it.

The sky was starting to turn gray. It was like an out of body experience. The depression, the drugs, the everything. Nothing mattered, and she wouldn't be missed.

Children frolicking were passing by. Old aged couples were walking towards the beach. Families of all sorts were enjoying the day. The bridge appeared and she gulped.

"Go through with it"

Her conscience was nothing. Her mind had gone blank. She was a use less rag doll.

**Quinn started having flashbacks of her life. The bridge was coming closer and closer…**

"_Charlie, no!"_

"_You're pregnant"_

"_Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you…"_

"_How could you let someone do that to you?"_

"_I told you, you're a slut. A good for nothing slut who deserves to die"_

"_But I missed you"_

"_I missed you too"_

"_I love you and we'll stay together, forever"_

"_Everything will be alright, just don't cry"_

"_It's a girl"_

"_I named her Rylee. Rylee Marie"_

"_But mom? Can I keep her?"_

"_Please sign the consent forms here"_

"_It's for the best of the family. Your education and life are at stake"_

"_There is a 90 chance that there won't be any complications. We'll make sure you stay safe"_

"_You stupid bitch"_

"_That's Craig Manning. He's a monster. He's out to destroy lives…"_

"_You look like a grade 11"_

"_Welcome to Degrassi Ms. Jacobson"_

"_I love you Craig"_

"_What do you mean you had an abortion?"_

"_I'll miss you so much. I'll call you everyday, I promise. Don't cry, everything will be alright"_

"_Are you okay Quinn, like emotionally?"_

Quinn climbed onto the bridge. The wood was rocky, and it was starting to rain. She turned backwards, pull her arms out to the side, and hoped that when she opened her eyes, she would be in heaven…


	20. We'll be holding hands once again

Author's note: Remember. Season 4. The shooting never happened, Okie dokie? Please read and review.

"Where is she?" Craig asked hopefully

"Where is who?" Mrs. Jacobson asked

"Quinn! She came home"

"Really"

"She's been missing for about seven hours!"

"Mmmhmm"

_She was drunk. Craig didn't know who to turn to. He had tried looking for Quinn all day. Then he had an idea._

_Marco would help. Marco was my best friend he thought. And he was friends with Quinn, sort of._

"_Well, um, thanks, anyway"_

"_Goodbye Greg Ramming"_

Craig started jogging towards Marco's house. He was worried about her. Where else would she go? She was depressed.

_Where would she go! Think Craig, think! _

The night was foggy and chilly. November wasn't the greatest time in Canada. He was wishing it was mid August, instead of early November.

He arrived on Marco's doorstep about 9:00.

Craig rapidly pounded on his door.

Mrs. Del Rossi answered

"Oh, Craig, dear, how have you been?"

_I'm not in the mood_

"Hey Mrs. Del Rossi, is Marco around?"

"Oh no, he is at The Dot. With Spinner"

_Damn him!_

"Oh, okay, thanks anyway Mrs. Del Rossi"

Craig jumped off Marco's porch and started running. He was going to go home. Maybe she had called?

The chilly air was biting at his face. He needed his jacket something fierce. He wouldn't be able to run anymore, he had to use Joey's car. Joey was his only hope.

"Joey, Joey, Joey" he came in through his house, huffing and puffing.

"Craig, where have you been?"

"Look, my girlfriend, she's missing" He went over to the coat rack to grab his jacket

He went on "Can I use your car? I promise, no later than 11"

"Fine, fine" Joey went into the kitchen and held up the phone

"You want me to call the police?"

"No, no, I'll find her" Craig said

"Well, here, take my keys"

_He was thankful that Joey was doing this all for him. He paced back and forth._

"Joey" his voice cracked. "Thank you"

The feeling of fear was taking over his body. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins.

Craig grabbed the keys and rushed out of the front door. Everything was a blur. He had made her feel this way. He pressured her, he used her, and he never asked her once if it was okay. He felt terrible and this sick gut feeling had lodged its way into his stomach.

She wouldn't go to the dot, no she wouldn't, she wouldn't go shopping, and she wouldn't go to her house. No…

"_Let's get married on the beach, and we'll have children, and we'll live happily ever after Craig. I promise, I'll never leave"_

The beach, yes that's it! He said to himself.

**But which one?**

The fog was preventing him from seeing everything clearly. He was going about 60 mph and it wasn't safe. He was going to the one with the big, bridge. It was lit up at night, and it was truly beautiful.

A bridge? He gulped. Quinn wouldn't ever try to commit suicide…

Would she?

"Nah…" he said out loud. "She's smarter than that…"

Craig pulled up to the beach parking lot. It was pitch black outside, but the evening was lit up by sirens and lights.

The feeling in his stomach grew. "Nah…"

Craig locked the car up and starting walking towards the scene. There were police officers, search dogs, EMT's, and firemen. There was a large crowd of about twenty people.

He skipped over the wooden parking stoppers. The sand was preventing him to get any farther. He went into the midst of the crowd and asked an old lady who was about 60 what was going on.

Her hair was graying and tied into a bun. Her husband was standing right next to her shaking his head sadly. They were both wrapped in a blanket.

"Do you know what's going on?" he asked the woman

Craig tried to peer over the crowd. The only thing he would see was someone getting pulled out of the water. The smell of diesel fuels filled his nose.

"I'm not sure. My husband and I were walking our dog, moose…" she pointed to the overweight Golden Retriever on the leash laying on the ground. She went on "And at about 11:30, a girl, who looked to be a teenager, with blonde hair, just went on the bridge, stuck her arms out, and fell back…"

"No, no, it can't be…"

"It can't be what, Hun?"

"Well…" Craig gulped. "My girlfriend, my almost fiancé, she, has been missing since around, 10"

"We've been here for 11 hours son. Trying to help out anyway way we can. The girl, she looked terrible. Like she hadn't had an ounce of sleep for about five days…" the lady's husband said

"No…" He shook his head

"James called the police. He would have gone into save her, but his back. It's out. The police arrived quickly, but they had a hard time finding her, since it is foggy and gray out"

"No!" He started shaking

"They pulled the girl out around 1:00. We think she's still alive, but the brain damage…"

Craig pulled his hair. His body was trembling with fear.

"It can't be Quinn"

"Calm down son. They said she'll make it"

"Make what, she'll be a vegetable!"

"I love her! We are going to get married, and we're going to have kids, and I'm going to have my own music store, and she's going to be an interior decorator, and we're going to have a big house in richest neighborhood. And we're going to grow old, and we're…"

The old man started hugging Craig.

"It can't be, it just can't be…" tears were rolling down his face. He was angry, sad and scared.

"It will all be okay. You should probably talk to the police…"

Craig got out of the old man's gripped and walked up to an officer. He wiped the tears from his face.

"Officer…"

The policeman was standing on the edge of the caution tape. He looked to keeping everyone from crossing the line.

But for Craig, the line was already crossed

"Are you family?"

"No. No. I think…" he didn't want to say it. He couldn't. He didn't want to admit it. "That, that…" he was stuttering.

"That what?"

"The girl, who jumped. May be….my girlfriend"

"Would you like a description?"

"Yes, yes" he said thankfully. He wanted to hug the officer. The lights were starting to irritate his eyes.

"George, what'd the girl look like?"

"Blonde hair, 'bout 5'6"" George answered the officer

"That's what my girlfriend…looks like…"

"We can't let you see her right now, because of the restrictions with the law, but…"

"Yes?"

"We're taking her on the ambulance right now to St. Jude's children's hospital. You can see her there, and you can identify her, if you think it may be her"

"Will she make it?"

"Can I have your name please?"

"Craig Manning"

The officer pulled out a piece of paper and started writing out loud. "Craig Manning. Boyfriend"

"Will she make it?"

The EMT's pulled out of the parking lot with the ambulance. Craig raced back to his car and followed. Hoping, for the best.


	21. A sunny, bright, day

Author's note: Last chapter! Weird huh? Well, anyways, please read and review, and there will be a sequel to this!

Summer was around the corner. Craig sat on the steps of his house, strumming a song he had wrote months earlier.

"Everything was once a blur. I'm scared to fall, because I know I'll never be able to get back up again. I've fallen for you, and I can't get up"

Months before, in November, Quinn was taken to the hospital. Craig had identified her, and her mother, was notified immediately. She had suffered slight damage, but had been in a coma for about two months. She had been taken to "Sunset Creek" to deal with her depression. She had only seen Craig three times in the seven month time period. She was finishing up grade 12 at Sunset Creek. They had been corresponding through letters. Quinn was getting better. She was in counseling and group therapy. Everything was better, and she was ready to come home from the summer. Her mother and sister were better, and she wasn't going back to California. She would stay in Canada, and would spend the summer with Craig. She was jumping with joy. She was coming home. And she was the happiest person in the world.

Craig continued to sing and strum his guitar. Random girls who were walking by starting smiling at him, and he waved at them. 10 minutes later, they gave up on him and walked on.

Thirty minutes passed by. Craig stills strumming.

Someone walked up and started smiling at Craig. He just kept strumming

"Craig"

He looked up, it was Quinn.

"Oh my god"

She hugged him. "It feels so good to be with you"

He dropped his guitar on the step. He took a step back and checked her out. She looked gorgeous. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.

"Hello, beautiful" He brushed her hair back

He squeezed her once more and they both took a seat on the curb.

"How have you been?" she asked, twirling her hair

Craig put his hand on her leg. "I've been fine. Worried and missing you"

"I'm all better now, I promise"

"Promise"

_Ask her. Now._

Craig stood up. He walked down the steps and kneeled on the curb.

"Quinn?"

Oh my god. He's going to ask me to marry him, isn't he…?

"Umm" She started grabbing chunks of her hair

"Will you marry me?"

The breeze was warm, and the sun felt good on her face. She didn't want to lose Craig. She was happy now. They could be happy together.

"Yes, Craig Manning. I will" The word slipped right through her mouth.

He looked so wonderful in his red Velvot Revolver t-shirt. His jeans were amazingly loose. He looked so darn cute, and couldn't resist

Craig slipped the ring on finger. It was beautiful. A dark ruby gemstone – not typically an engagement ring, but she loved. She hugged him once more.

"So we're engaged?"

"So we are" She said, never wanting to let go…


End file.
